My Ojousan
by vegie kun
Summary: During a stressful conference Relena meets up with a certain Gundam pilot who brings laughter and chaos into her life. But the fun ends as quickly as it begins when a new enemy appears, headed by the most unexpected person.
1. A New Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing (although I wish I did); they belong to their respective owners (Sotsu, Sunrise, Bandai and any other companies that I forgot to mention).   
  
Warnings: This is a 2+R fic. If you don't like the idea of those two together then stop right now. This is my first 2+R and it probably won't be my last. Although I prefer 1+R, that doesn't mean I'll always stick with them. It might take a bit longer for this fic to get out compared to my other ones, but don't worry.  
  
A.N: Again, I'm going a revision with another one of my fics. I realize that to some people it may seem a waste of time, especially when I could be doing something more productive, like say getting the sequel to Zero Soul done. But hey, if I'm not satisfied with my writing then I'm just going to agonize about it. It's still not as great as it could be, but I'll just have to wait for my writing to improve some more before I can get another revision of my fics done. Anyways, enjoy.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 1: A New Beginning  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
In a building on L2, an important meeting was being held to discuss some growing disputes between a few countries on Earth along with their effects on both the Earth and Colonies. Many of the representatives of Earth and the Colonies showed up along with others who were concerned over the matter. At first it started out smoothly with a few proposals and suggestions, but soon, as the proposals were turned down one after the other, it quickly took a turn for the worse. In the middle of the heated dispute was an overweight politician with dark brown hair and a small, sandy blonde haired girl.  
  
"Vice Foreign Minister Darlian!" the overweight politician shouted. "Will you not think this over?! Our country needs help! We are smaller than our surrounding neighbors and we don't have the means necessary to repel an all out attack!"  
  
"Representative Taylor," the blonde-haired girl said firmly, aquamarine eyes steady on the large man, "We cannot send troops or firearms to aid your country when your neighbors aren't even showing any signs of hostility. So far we have only heard of a few disputes, but no direct threats. If we were to send troops and firearms there, they, and the rest of the world, will interpret those actions as an open declaration of war."  
  
"We can't wait for them to attack us!" he shot back furiously.  
  
"If there is a chance that we can settle this situation without having to resort to bloodshed, then I will take that chance by all means. As I recall, there haven't been any real peace talks or negotiations between your country and your neighbors," Relena shot back calmly.  
  
"Talking to them is pointless!" the man shouted, once more losing his temper.  
  
"That is quite enough, Representative Taylor!" the President of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation shouted. "Vice Foreign Minister Darlian is absolutely correct on this matter. We want to try and avoid another war at all costs. The best solution is for you to set up a conference between your countries and talk this matter through. With that, we will adjourn this meeting. Have a safe journey back to your lodgings, and we will begin again tomorrow morning."  
  
With that the conference ended and the major representatives started to file out of the room. As Relena made her way towards the exit a hand grabbed her wrist. Turning around she saw the President of the E.S.U.N.  
  
"Mr. President," she acknowledged, "is there something you want to talk to me about?"  
  
"No, no, no," he answered, laughing slightly, "I just wanted to say that you did a wonderful job back there handling Representative Taylor. Your late foster father, Mr. Darlian, would have really been proud of you."  
  
"Thank you, sir. My father taught me very well." She quickly bade him farewell and made her way outside, brushing past a few men who were in her way. Once outside her bodyguards quickly approached her, following her down the stairs. The morning had been a rough one so she kept on walking, trying her best to ignore the press swarming around the building. It might not have been a major conference, but the lack of exciting news made this seem all the more interesting. She made her way to her car and one of the bodyguards opened the door, allowing her to step inside.  
  
"Where to, Miss Darlian?" the young chauffeur asked as soon as she was seated.  
  
"Just take me back to my hotel," she sighed in exhaustion.  
  
"As you wish," the driver said as he started the limo.  
  
_//Another conference, another argument, another politician taking out all their frustrations on me. God, are those people so blind? Don't they know when the time for fighting ends and the time for talking begins? Do they want another war on our hands? These people will never learn; all they want to do is gain more power and territory. They don't even consider the lives of their own people... God, please help me... Heero, I need y-**NO**!! I am **NOT** going to think about **HIM** again. I mean it's already been **THREE** years and there is **STILL** no word from him. I am **NOT** going to spend the rest of my life waiting for him.... So why can't I forget him? Oh... where are you anyway, Heero? Dammit! I need to get out and loosen up.//_  
  
"Um, Randall, would you drop me off at the corner."  
  
"Miss Darlian?" the driver asked confused.  
  
"I want to enjoy the rest of the day and take a look around the colony before the next meeting tomorrow, and don't worry, I know my way back to the hotel."  
  
"I understand, but please remember to be careful though," he said as he pulled over to a corner. "Have fun, okay?"  
  
"Thank you, I will." She smiled back as she closed the door and watched him drive away. _//So you're alone now; what are you going to do? Um... I'll go for a walk. Yeah! That's it.//_  
  


*****

  
Relena spent the rest of the morning walking over to a local park and relaxing near the water of its pond. She loved the scenery; she always thought that the colonies were beautiful and seeing this park only reinforced that thought. Her mind quickly wandered off to the days when she used to come to the colonies with her father on his business trips. She was such a brat then, very haughty and full of pride. Well, you couldn't really blame her, she was sent to a school full of rich snobs where you had to be just as snobby to survive. Oh, how things quickly change. After her encounter with the boy known as Heero Yuy, she began to change drastically. She first became a lovesick puppy; yes, she willingly admitted that. Following a boy she barely knew all over the world... even to Antarctica! But then her role as the ruler of the Sank kingdom really began to make her think; she had responsibilities in this world, and, whether or not she liked them, they were hers. She grew up really quickly after that.  
  
Relena stayed there for an hour but decided to leave when it approached noon, then she remembered that she hadn't eaten anything since the night before. Contemplating about whether to stay a little while longer, the loud growl her stomach made forced her to get up and find a place to eat. Soon, she found herself walking along a familiar sidewalk of the colony when her stomach growled yet again.  
  
_//Oh, shut up already! I know you're hungry. Just wait until I find a decent place to eat! Gosh, it's not like I don't have enough problems alrea-//_  
  
"Oi! 'Jousan!"  
  
_//I-I know that voice...//_  
  
Relena looked to the direction of the voice and saw a mechanic's shop. More appropriately 'Maxwell's Repair Shop: If It's Broke, We Can Fix It'. She moved her eyes to the door of the shop and smiled when she saw Duo. He was in his coveralls, leaning against the door's frame, wrench in hand, and a 100-watt smile plastered on his face. She laughed a little when she noticed he had some grease smeared on his cheek.  
  
"Hi, Duo. It's good to see you again," Relena called out as she made over.  
  
"Where were you headed to in such a hurry?" Duo asked as he led her inside.  
  
"Actually, I wasn't headed anywhere in particular, just trying to find a decent place to eat for lunch," she replied after sitting down on the chair he offered her.  
  
"Lunch, huh? Hey! That reminds me," he said with a grin, "I'm starving. Mind if I join you? I know this great cafe just around the corner."  
  
"Really? Of course I don't mind. I'd love to have some company for lunch."  
  
"Alright then. Wait in here while I go and change." He left the room and headed through another door. Ten minutes later Duo came back out wearing his red shirt, leather jacket and pants. Relena noticed that his braid and been redone and looked quite neat. His face, now grease free, was quite handsome, especially when it had that mischievous look. Flashing that trademark Duo grin again, he walked up to Relena, took her hand and did a bow. "Shall we be off now, 'Jousan?"  
  


*****

  
The cafe Duo suggested was a feast for the eyes. Both classical and modern in design, it was lavishly done but not to the point where it would seem tacky; looking like it came out of a garden painting with floral decoration and vine-covered arches. The inside was splendid as well: lovely marble floors, beautiful wooden furniture, and large windows that allowed an abundant amount of sunlight to come in. The two decided to get a table outside so that they could better enjoy the flowers and the sunny weather. Once seated, a waitress appeared and Duo ordered the grilled chicken breast with carrots, green beans, and rice, along with some lemonade while Relena ordered a tuna sandwich, small salad, and tea.  
  
"So, Relena," Duo began, "how did the conference go this morning?"  
  
"In a way, both good and bad," she said frowning slightly. "Most of the people there look at me like I'm still some naive child. They don't seem to think I'm capable of doing my job so they're always trying to pick a fight with me, hoping I'll slip up sooner or later. But then again, there are those who think I'm doing better than most other people twice my age. Those people give me more work than I can handle without even really discussing it with me."  
  
"You know what? As I recall _**YOU**_ were once Queen of the World. Now how many of **_THOSE_** people in that stuffy meeting can say that about themselves, huh?" Duo grinned as he made Relena laugh softly. _//Wow, she has a really pretty laugh... almost like soft chimes... Wait a minute, why am I thinking that? Strange... Well, it is pretty.//_  
  
"Oh, Duo, that was a long time ago... when I was a different person. I was so immature and stubborn back then." Again she thought back to the days when she thought that if everyone would just put down his or her weapons, everything would be peaceful; she knew better now.  
  
"Well, you're not as immature as you were back then, but you're still as stubborn as ever." He paused when he noticed Relena making a face at him. "Ah, I remember the first time I met you, I was trying to rescue you at the time. You can't even begin to imagine my surprise when I saw that **_you_** were trying to **_protect_** the guy who was trying to **_kill_** you."  
  
"Hey, if I hadn't done that, he could have died, and we would have never ended the war. As I see it, I did a good thing," Relena retorted.  
  
"You bring up a good point there. Well, speaking of the guy who was trying to kill you, where is Heero anyway?" he asked as he leaned back in his chair.  
  
"I wouldn't know. I haven't seen or heard from him in three years," she replied with a tinge of sadness.  
  
"Oops, sorry 'bout bringing that up. It's just that I haven't seen him either, not since our last mission with the Preventers two years ago. I was just hoping that you might know, considering how you always had this knack for finding him wherever he went when you were younger."  
  
"Like I said before, I was different back then. I'm more mature now and I've given up on such childish behavior," she tried to say in a haughty tone.  
  
"You couldn't find him, could ya?" Duo smirked.  
  
"Not even after two years of searching. Even**_ I _**know when I'm defeated," she said with her head hung low. "Well, enough about him, our food's here."  
  
At the mention of the word Duo perked up and graciously took his plate from the waitress, giving her a devilish wink and grin as he did so. In no time he started digging in as if there would be a famine the next day. Relena thanked the waitress as soon as her food was placed before her and began to eat as well. During the meal the two did some light chattering with Duo throwing in a joke here and there while Relena laughed softly at each one of them. Once they were done with their meal they both ordered another beverage and restarted their conversation.  
  
"So, Duo, how's Hilde doing? I didn't get a chance to talk to her much after the wedding." Relena's mind suddenly went back to Hilde's wedding three days before. She was asked to be the maid of honor since the German girl didn't have any family members, to her knowledge, and Relena was the closest person to her besides Duo. At first Relena didn't like the idea of Hilde marrying at such a young age, but once she met her fiancé she decided otherwise. He was a real doll; handsome, smart, polite, and he literally worshipped the ground Hilde walked on. He was perfect for her so she couldn't help but be happy for the girl.  
  
"Well, all I know is that she and Anthony are still on their honeymoon in Italy. She did call me last night though, and asked me to check up on their house. *sigh* She's all grown up now and there's nothing I can do about it."   
  
"You miss her a lot, don't you, Duo?" Relena inquired as she took another sip of her tea.  
  
"I can't help it; it's like I'm losing my best friend. I mean, she barely talks to me anymore, and, when we do talk, she can't even finish **_two_** sentences without mentioning Anthony. Don't get me wrong though; I really like the guy, but it's just like-"  
  
"She doesn't have any more time for you?" Relena cut in with a caring expression on her face.  
  
"Yeah. Before she started to date Anthony we did almost everything together; going to the movies, shopping at the mall, visiting you and the other pilots, or just goofing off." Those sudden memories made Duo even sadder now that he realized that Hilde was going to pay him even less attention once she decided to start a family. Hilde had always been like a little sister and best friend, helping out with the Sweepers and his repair shop. Now he didn't really have anyone anymore. _//I'm all alone again, aren't I?//_  
  
"Duo," Relena said in a comforting voice as she placed a friendly hand on his. "Don't think that you're going to lose her. She'll always be your best friend no matter what. It's just that right now, she's really in love, and love makes you forget about some things for a while. Once she and Anthony get settled into their new life together, Hilde will have time for you again. I mean, you'll probably go through the same thing once you find someone of your own to love."  
  
Duo didn't catch much of what she was saying because he was too busy noticing the way the light played with her golden hair, forming a halo like... like "an angel..." he said aloud.  
  
"Excuse me? Duo? Duo?" Relena asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Huh? What? Don't worry. I was listening," he said, trying to collect his thoughts when all of a sudden an idea struck him. "Hey, Relena, do you have to be somewhere else later today?"  
  
"No. Why do you ask?" she said with a look of curiosity that made her seem innocent and child-like.  
  
"Well, 'cause I'm practically free for the rest of the day, and Trowa's circus just happens to be in town for this week. Since I haven't had the chance to go there yet, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me. What better time than now, right?" _//Oh man, I don't know why I'm so determined to have her go with me... b-but I just have this feeling...//_  
  
"You know what? After attending that frustrating meeting this morning, I think the circus will do me a great deal of good. I would love to go with you, however, I really don't want to go dressed like this," she said as she looked at her diplomat's outfit._ //If I go dressing like this, I know for sure that I'll be spotted by someone; God knows I already have enough to deal with.//_ "Could we possibly go back to my hotel so that I can get changed?"  
  
"Sure, no problem. The circus is going to be open till midnight anyways. We've got plenty of time." The two paid their bills and headed for Relena's hotel. Along the way Duo told Relena some of the strangest stories and jokes, hoping to make her laugh, and laugh she did. She'd laughed so hard that she actually had to stop and hold on to Duo in order to prevent herself from collapsing. Some of the people who walked by thought she was crazy. Relena tried her hardest to keep a straight face, but Duo continued to barrage her with some of the tallest tales she'd ever heard.  
  
"Quit it, Duo! *giggle* Please *giggle* I can't take *giggle* anymore of this." Relena spurted trying to regain some control.  
  
"Okay, okay, okay, but only 'cause were here."   
  
Relena looked up and saw that they were at the entrance of the hotel. Regaining her composure she led him into the hotel's lobby and asked him to wait while she went upstairs and changed. _//Whew, this place sure is big.//_ Duo thought as he noticed how the lobby was almost as big as a whole block in his neighborhood.  
  


*****

  
Upstairs, Relena took great pains to find an outfit that would accomplish the goals she had set in mind: 1. Something that would make her unrecognizable to the public 2. Something that would feel comfortable and 3. Something that would make Heero regret the day he disappeared on her if he happened to see her. As she was looking through her suitcases she became more frantic, hoping that she didn't forget to pack some 'normal' clothes. To her relief she did find something in her closet. Pulling it off the hanger she set the item on her bed and began to undress, happy to get out of her current suit._ //God, after four years of having to wear something like that, you'd expect to get used to them by now. Why can't diplomats just be allowed to go to conferences wearing T-shirts and jeans?... Oh, I remember now; T-shirts and jeans would make us too comfortable and we'd end up sleeping through the whole blasted meeting.//_  
  


***** 

  
After about fifteen minutes of waiting in the lobby, Duo was beginning to get really bored. He had already gotten acquainted with half of the hotel staff, even managing to get the phone number from the cute receptionist. But when Relena stepped out of the elevator, he realized that all the waiting he had done was well worth it. The sight in front of him took his breath away and for once he was at a loss for words.   
  


  
-to be continued-  
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This is my first shot at trying to put Duo and Relena together, so be kind. I'd love to get comments and advice on this. I'll take any kind of comment as long as they're not flames.   



	2. The Joys of Life

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing (although I wish I did); they belong to their respective owners (Sotsu, Sunrise, Bandai and any other companies that I forgot to mention).   
Warnings: This is a 2+R fic.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 2: The Joys of Life  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
"Relena..."  
  
Standing in front of the young man was one **_very_** pretty, if not beautiful, girl. Relena wore a lovely sky blue dress that came to just above the knee. Its short sleeves hung slightly off her shoulders while a string bow topped off the bodice. Her hair was unbound, flowing freely down her back while a little pouch-like bag hung on her wrist. All this added together gave her the image of a sweet and innocent girl instead of the stern diplomat she normally appeared to be.  
  
"Um... how do I look? I hope this is okay," she asked shyly, obviously out of practice with wearing such things. Relena looked at Duo's face, trying to find something that would give her an idea of how she looked to the public. "I didn't have many casual clothes with me since I didn't think I'd be going to a circus."  
  
"Um... y-you look fine..." was all he managed to get out. _//Wow, never thought 'Jousan could look like that. If Heero ever saw her like this, he'd keel over or something. Ha ha ha... I'd really like to see the expression on his face then.// _"Hmmm, you're missing something though... Oh! I know!" He grabbed Relena's arm and dragged her into the hotel store. Relena wasn't sure what he was doing, but figured she probably wouldn't understand his reasoning so she didn't ask. Duo took his time to search the store carefully as if he had a specific item in mind.  
  
"Aha!" Letting go of Relena's hand he ran to the back of the store, picked something up, then ran to the cashier. Relena was staring at some glass figurines when she felt something press down on her head. Looking up, she saw the brim of a straw sun hat.  
  
"What's this for?" she asked, turning to eye the tall boy.  
  
Duo grinned and pressed his hand a little more firmly on her head. "I thought this would go well with your dress."  
  
"Duo, you shouldn't have," she replied making a face.  
  
"Just think of it as the present I forgot to give you on your last birthday, okay? Besides, you'll need more of a disguise than that if you don't want to be noticed." He winked then continued to drag her out of the hotel. Once outside they decided to walk all the way to the circus that was less than a mile away.  
  


*****

  
For some odd reason Relena was quiet during the walk. Duo didn't know what was wrong so he just threw in a couple of jokes now and then, but she just remained quiet and polite. Seeing no other way to handle the situation he thought he'd just come out and ask. "'Jousan, why so quiet?"  
  
"Just thinking..." she answered still looking straight ahead. "About how this is the first time that I'm doing something that wasn't scheduled for me."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Everything I do; it's all part of some schedule that I have to follow everyday: a routine I can never beak free of. It just gets really tiring after awhile," she said in a bittersweet tone.  
  
"But you have people there to help you, right?"  
  
"Not really. No matter who's around me I'm the one who still goes into everything by myself. Sometimes I just feel so... so..."  
  
"Alone," Duo finished and saw her head nod in agreement. _//Oh, 'Jousan, you're just like me. You always put on the tough mask of a diplomat whenever you're in public, but you're just as vulnerable as everyone else. My mask only comes off when I'm about to sleep... Sometimes I feel that you're the only one who can see through it.//_  
  
"Duo, what do you do when you're sad?"  
  
"W-What?" The question was so unexpected that the braided boy almost tripped over his own feet. "What do I do when I'm sad?"  
  
"Uh huh," she turned her head so that she was looking up at him now. Her eyes were full of need; need for an answer, a solution... something. "It's just that I don't think I've ever found or will ever find a way to escape it. I don't think that I'll ever be happy."  
  
"Don't ever say that, 'Jousan. You're still young, and you have your whole life ahead of you-"  
  
"Yeah, unless it's abruptly ended by some assassin," Relena added bitterly.  
  
"Oi! When did you become a pessimist? You'll find happiness; I know you will. Trust me." Duo grinned and was happy inside when he saw Relena smile a genuine smile back at him._ //You deserve to be happy; Relena... and I'll see to it that you are. I swear it in the name of Shinigami.//_  
  
From then on they were talking more openly. Duo did most of it though, but Relena fought for a chance to talk as well. In about twenty minutes they found themselves waiting in line to buy tickets for the circus. The line was fairly long, and the wait caused Duo to babble uncontrollably. In less than five minutes he had accounted all the events of the Eve Wars to those in line with them. Relena did her best to make it seem as if she had no idea who he was whatsoever. When they were finally up Relena firmly grasped his hand and dragged him to the booth. Sighs of relief followed them.  
  
"Two please," Duo said to the gruff man behind the booth. He eyed Duo for a second before handing him the tickets and receiving the payment.   
  
"Duo, how much do I owe you for the ticket?"   
  
Duo looked down at her face and couldn't help but grin at her. "Don't worry. It's on me. Anything to get you to relax." The blonde girl could only stare up with confusion in her eyes before appreciation took over.   
  


*****

  
"Duo! Where are you?!" Relena shouted through the crowd of people as she pushed onward. _//How did I lose him? Let's see, we passed by the food stand before we - THE FOOD STAND!!!!// _She ran as fast as she could and mentally kicked herself for losing a friend like that. Keeping a hand on her hat as she ran, and apologizing to the people she jostled, she soon reached the food stand, and, sure enough, Duo was there, ordering something. Sighing to herself, she slowly walked towards and stood next to him.  
  
"There you are, 'Jousan. Geez, don't walk off like that." He turned around before he saw the look on her face that said "Me? Walk off? You stopped and didn't bother to tell me!". "So, want anything to eat?" he asked in a chipper voice.  
  
"Something cold," Relena sighed in exhaustion as the heat from running and their surrounding caught up to her.  
  
"Uh... okay." Although slightly bewildered by that strange request, Duo still went on to order more food. One would have never thought he had just had lunch only an hour and a half ago by looking at his tray._ //Hmmm... Let's see.... I have my chilidogs, hamburgers, corndogs, chili fries, caramel apple, and cotton candy... and a popsicle for Relena. I think that'll tide me over till dinner time comes around.// _After picking up his tray, he walked over to the bench where Relena waited and sat next to her. The carefree pilot gave her the popsicle while he went to work devouring his 'snack'.  
  
"....." Relena's eyes were wide, and her mouth opened slightly as she stared in amazement at how fast the violet-eyed boy ate. If there was a world record on how fast one could eat, then Duo definitely broke them all. The young diplomat blushed a little after realizing that she had been staring at him. Not wanting to be rude she quickly turned her head around and started on her popsicle. Relena closed her eyes when she took her first lick, savoring that one simple pleasure. It tasted like strawberries and she smiled inwardly as she enjoyed the sweet red treat._ //When was the last time you had something like this, Relena?... A long time.//_  
  
"....." It was Duo's turn to stare after he had finished eating. It was an accident really, but when he turned to face Relena he was totally shocked by what he saw. Sitting on the bench right next to him was a **_girl_** with a **_Popsicle_** in her **_mouth_**! His body stiffened up when mental images started to collide in his mind as he continued to watch her lick the icy treat from the base to the tip. His eyes never left her as she repeated the same motions over and over again. Without knowing it, his face soon became hot as the girl stuck a portion of the thing into her mouth, making sucking noises. _//Oh man, I did **NOT** know this was going to happen. Okay, I have to get a hold of myself. Do **NOT** think **THOSE** thoughts! I'm trying. I'm **REALLY** trying! DAMNIT! WHY DID I HAVE TO WEAR SUCH TIGHT PANTS TODAY!!! Oh God, Heero would kill me if he knew what I was thinking.//_  
  
"Duo? You feeling alright?"   
  
"Huh?" Duo was snapped back to reality, and all those images in his head quickly disappeared. However, they came back when he saw her face. Her lips were now a bit swollen and red, which didn't help him much, and he started to feel flustered again. Of course, Relena was oblivious as to what was happening and laid the back of her right hand on his forehead to check his temperature.   
  
"You feel a bit warm. Maybe we should get out the heat." She took hold of his hand and started leading him through the crowd in hopes of finding a shady area to rest.  
  
"It's okay, Relena. Really, it is. I... uh... just had some things on my mind, that's all," he quickly responded to try and cover up anything that would give away his thoughts.  
  
"You sure?" she asked really concerned, feeling that it was partly her fault since he was doing all of this to make her feel better.  
  
"Of course, I am! C'mon, we'd better get to the main tent. The show's about to begin," he smiled cheerfully and started to drag her to the larger tent in the back of the grassy clearing. The sudden jerk on her arm caused her to let go of the popsicle. Duo noticed this and thanked God for letting that happen because he knew he wouldn't be able to control himself if she were to do it again. _//What's gotten into me? Why am I thinking all of these things? I mean, 'Jousan is pretty... okay, beautiful... but I've never thought of her this way before.... Okay, maybe I did once or twice in the past, but c'mon, DUO, she's only got eyes for suicide boy. DAMN YOU, YUY!!! If I were you I would have taken that opportunity to be with her!! *sigh* Destined to be alone, that's my fate.//_  
  
"Duo! Slow down, please!" Relena yelled, angry and pleading at the same time as he continued to drag her through the crowd.  
  
"Don't worry. We're almost there! C'mon, Relena, a little jog never hurt anybody before. Besides, if we don't hurry all the good seats will be taken," he yelled to her over his shoulder. "Do you want to sit in the back row and squint your eyes just so that you can make out the clowns?"  
  
"I... guess not," the girl let out through quick breaths and gasps.  
  
They were soon at the tent's entrance and Duo stopped to let Relena catch her breath while he apologized for the run. She thought about giving him the Heero Yuy death glare but decided against it since he was going out of his way to be nice to her. Instead she just looked at him with tired eyes and gave a quick yank on his braid. "Now we're even," she said, smiling at his playfully hurt expression before taking his arm and leading him inside.   
  
"Uh, where should we sit?" the girl asked, glancing at the rows of empty and occupied seats.  
  
"Hmmm... let's see.... Ooo, over there!" the American squealed in delight as he dragged the Vice Foreign Minister across the floor to the bleacher-like seats. Climbing up a few rows, they found themselves situated in front of the center ring, a few seats from the ground. "See, I told ya that we'd get good seats if we ran." He couldn't help but grin at her teasingly.  
  
"Fine. I'll admit that these are great se-"  
  
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, WELCOME TO The CIRCUS!" the manager's voice boomed through the tent, cutting Relena off. "TONIGHT, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR SIGHTS IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE! ANTICS THAT WILL HAVE YOU ROLLING OUT OF YOUR SEATS WITH LAUGHTER! STUNTS THAT WILL MAKE YOU HOLD YOUR BREATH! AND WONDERS BEYOND YOUR WILDEST IMAGINATIONS! NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW!!"   
  
As he finished, the curtains at the back parted, and clowns started to tumble forth doing flips, summersaults, and juggling strange objects. The crowd laughed and cheered as the hilarious group acted out a comedic scene that involved creamed pies and water balloons. It continued on as more clowns joined the fray and soon it became a whirlwind of humorous activities. The next act that followed was a couple of girls riding on snow white horses adorned with elaborate saddles and reigns. The audience, awed at the girls' perfectly synchronized routines, kept silent and still.  
  
"Wow, Duo, that was amazing," Relena commented as she continued to watch the performance.  
  
"If you think that was amazing, wait 'til you see Trowa and Catherine. They told me that they came up with a new act," Duo grinned mischievously. Having said that, he leaned back a little, enjoying the other acts as they performed in front of the crowd.   
  


*****

  
"NOW, WE COME TO THE GRAND FINALE OF THE SHOW! PRESENTING THE TWO STARS OF OUR CIRCUS, CATHERINE BLOOM AND TROWA BARTON!!" With that announcement the crowd broke out cheering at the top of their lungs. Their excitement didn't die down in the least bit when the two stars came out from behind the curtain. Trowa was dressed in his usual clown costume with the half mask while Catherine had on her purple and pink outfit, carrying her familiar knives. They stood there for a while to wait for the audience to settle before going on with their act.  
  
Once that happened Catherine made her way to the center of the ring, standing perfectly still as a lion came running out from behind the cloth wall. The audience gasped. It ran for Trowa and when it neared the tall boy did his patented 360-degree flip and landed on the beast. The crowd cheered, but Trowa continued on by taking out a small board with a star painted on it that was attached to the back of his costume. He stood up on the lion's back, holding the board high above his head as they circled around the girl.   
  
Suddenly, the sound of knives hitting wood could be heard as Catherine skillfully threw each blade into the painted star. For once, the audience was hushed, amazed by the girl's talent and beauty. Trowa then reached into the deep pockets of his oversized pants and pulled out a few apples. He juggled them for a while, still riding on top of the lion, before tossing them high into the air. They were soon brought back down to Earth as a knife found their way through each of them.  
  
"T-that was... amazing..." Relena stuttered, still not believing what see had just seen. To her, the ability to do things like that just wasn't possible, something that almost seemed as impossible as magic.  
  
"No kiddin'," Duo agreed. "Every time they come to L2 I always get blown away by their performance.... Hey, after the crowd leaves why don't we go talk to them?"  
  
"Is that alright?" she asked not really knowing if that kind of thing was allowed.   
  
"Don't worry about it. I'm friends with the both of them, ya know," smiling again he gently grabbed her wrist and led her down the rows of seats. She was trying to be as careful as she could, not wanting to step on something or someone accidentally.   
  
They walked out of the tent to the back to wait for their friends to come out. Duo leaned against an empty cage, and his head was turned to the back flap on the main tent._ //Man, what's taking them so long? They usually come out as soon as they're finished. Geez, I hate waiting; it gets so boring. Maybe I should talk to Rel-//_  
  
"AAHHHH!!!" her scream quickly got his attention as he turned to face her.  
  
"Relena! What's wrong? Are you okay?" Surprised and worried he turned to face her but what he saw wasn't a girl in danger like he previously thought. Instead, it was a girl completely taken by surprise when a clown accidentally threw a bucket of water in her direction. _//Whoa, now there's a sight... Oh, Shinigami...// _It took a while for Duo to fully comprehend what he was seeing in front of him, but when it finally registered he couldn't do anything but stare. The water had hit her dead center; her dress, now dripping with water, clung to her body like a second skin, hugging curves that Duo never knew existed underneath the diplomat's suit. Just then he realized how much Relena had grown up since the time of the Eve Wars. She was no longer the almost flat chest fifteen-year-old who fought for the Earth and colonies on the side of the Gundams. _//... Kirei...//_  
  
"Achoo."  
  
That one little sneeze snapped him from his reverie and he started to look for something to dry her off with before she caught a cold. When his face turned to the left and right in desperation he noticed that a lot of eyes were staring in their direction... male eyes. Suddenly realizing what they were looking at he gave them Heero's death glare and stood protectively near Relena. Not wanting the hormone-driven men to eye her that way, he took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around the girl's slender frame. Giving the guys one last glare he led her over to the tent's back entrance.  
  
"Duo?" Catherine's voice popped up next to them, startling the two. A smile spread across her face. "It is you! Are you here to see me and Trowa, or are you here to talk us into giving you free food?" she teased, causing Duo to make an indignant expression on his face.  
  
"Well," he replied, sounding a bit hurt. "As a matter of fact, I was coming to see you two, but I don't think I want to anymore."  
  
"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to tease you like that... Hey, who's this pretty little thing you've got next to you? *gasp* Did you finally get a girlfriend?!" Her eyes lit up with delight and surprise.  
  
"N-no, you've got it all wrong!" he began trying to calm the other woman down. "This is Relena! Relena Darlian! Vice Foreign Minister Darlian!"  
  
"What?! Really?!" She couldn't get over her shock at the thought that she was standing in front of the famous Relena Darlian. She knew that Trowa was familiar with her since he was once a Gundam pilot, but she never thought that she'd actually meet her. As she glanced over at the girl she wondered if it was really her. She didn't seem like the mature woman others had described her to be. No. This girl looked like... well... a girl, a teenager that seemed like she didn't have a care in the world. "N-nice to meet you, Miss Darlian. My name is Catherine Bloom," she squeaked out as she extended a hand in her direction.  
  
"Please call me Relena," the girl smiled and shook the offered hand. "It's nice to meet you as well."  
  
"Hey, Catherine, maybe we should find another place to talk. Some place warm where Relena can dry off." Duo saw the confused look on her face and pointed to the wet dress that Relena was wearing. "A hit and run water attack."  
  
"Sure, come this way." With that she led the two to the trailer she shared with her brother.  
  


*****

  
"Did you enjoy yourself today, 'Jousan?" Duo asked as they walked along on the sidewalk. It was eight o'clock and they had decided to go back to Duo's shop so he could close up, having left it in the charge of his employees during his time off.  
  
"Today... was one of the best days I've had in a long time," she quietly replied. "Never thought I'd be able to enjoy myself like that ever again. Although you were acting really strange a couple of times back there."  
  
"I was?" He tried to sound surprised, not wanting to let her know the reasons for his strange behavior.  
  
They reached the shop after walking down another block, and Duo opened the door and gestured her inside. He told the rest of his employees to take the night off, that he'd take over until closing time. They were more than willing to do so and left in a rush, possibly heading towards the circus. Relena seated herself in a nearby chair while Duo went to the back to get some sodas. After about a minute of waiting he came back out and sat on the desk next to the chair. He handed her one of the sodas and began to relax.  
  
*CRASH*  
  
Something came through the window of his shop and skidded across the floor. That something was blinking at an even pace before it quickly sped up. Both Duo and Relena's eyes widened in horror as recognition hit.  
  
"IT'S A BOMB!"  
  


  
-to be continued-  
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Heh heh heh, cliffhanger... Sorry it took so long for this one to come out. I was really so busy working on Zero Soul that I almost forgot I had this one as well. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions you know where to send them.   



	3. Through the Night

Disclaimer: Yeah right, like I really own Gundam Wing. If I did own it, then I wouldn't be having so many money problems.   
  
Warnings: Mild language, violence, and angst.  
  
A.N: Don't kill me for taking so long with this fic; I felt that I had to finish Zero Soul first since it's the more popular of the two. For those of you who've waited almost forever for this fic, I hope that it meets up to your expectations. Once again, this is a 2+R fic, so if you don't like the couple, then leave now.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 3: Through the Night  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
Before Relena could protest, Duo grabbed her right hand and made for the front door. Not even a third of the way there, his mind paused. The door was locked from both sides, and he'd have to search for the key if he wanted to get out. Without warning, Duo took off in the direction of the back room. He ran faster than Relena could keep up and soon she began to stumble. Duo took a look over his shoulder and saw that the girl was having a difficult time. Without much thought, he pulled her forward and scooped her into his arms while his mind kept repeating a single thought over and over again. _//Not going to make it. Not going to make it. Not going to make it.... Dammit, I'm too good-looking to die, and Relena's still needed in this world. Geez, why does it always have to be me who gets into these types of situations? Heero's the suicidal freak; why can't he be the one to deal with death threats and bombings? Kuso! I don't have much time and the exit is too far away!//_  
  
The braided youth didn't know what he was doing, but as he moved further into the back area, something caught his eye: a window. Paying no heed to his own safety and making sure that the girl in his arms wouldn't take the brunt of the impact by hugging her closer to his form, he crashed through the window. Not a second more passed when the bomb went off; the force of the explosion sent the two reeling onto the ground. Duo's body was more than enough to shield Relena from the majority of glass, mortar, metal, and other debris that bombarded them. The blast was loud, and its sound was still ringing in both their ears as they slowly moved to get up. Being cautious of the materials that now surrounded them, Duo shifted into a crouching position to survey the extent of damage done. He looked on in horror at the remains that used to be his mechanic's shop; his pride and joy during the years of peace that followed Mariemaia's coup d'etat. _//It's... it's all gone... that was my life... and... and now it's all up in smoke. Bad luck sure has a way of following me, ne?.... SHIMATTA!!!!//_  
  
"Duo..." Relena's scared but gentle voice pulled him from his anguish. He looked down into her face and saw genuine concern and sadness in those sea green depths. As his gaze remained locked onto her delicate face, he noticed her eyes shifting down his body. "You're hurt," she stated with distress, moving both her hands to cover the largest of his wounds adorning his left bicep; he'd apparently received it from one of the many flying projectiles.  
  
The youth shivered when her hands clasped over his bleeding flesh through the cut in his leather jacket. As she pressed more firmly on the muscle he couldn't help but look on, confused by the sorrow shone in the young girl's eyes. He was about to say something when quiet tears started to flow down her soft, slightly dirt-smeared cheeks. Duo knew they weren't safe, just sitting there in plain view. Lifting his other arm, he rested it upon her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. Her eyes reluctantly met his and the young man smiled reassuringly. "Relena," he paused, seeing her focus on him alone. "It's not safe here. We have to leave immediately."  
  
"But, Duo," she protested, "you're hurt."  
  
He gave off a laugh to try and lighten up the situation. "I'm not the only one," he stated, pointing out the various cuts and scrapes that littered her pale skin. "But we do ourselves no good sitting here like easy targets. C'mon, the sooner we get to a safe hiding place, the sooner we can tend to our injuries."  
  
Relena nodded in agreement and Duo picked them both off the ground. Taking one last look behind him, Duo said goodbye to the place that held his hopes and dreams, and hastily led Relena to safer grounds.  
  


*****

  
Fifteen minutes of wandering led the two to a nearby park dimly lit by street lamps. Duo gently tugged at her arm and bid her to follow him into an area out of plain view. The youth knew this place well; he often came here with Hilde or whenever he needed a place to just sit and think. Rounding a few trees and bushes, they reached a tree surrounded by what looked to be nothing more that a mass of shrubbery. As it turned out, there was a small clearing behind the organic walls. Reaching their destination, Duo stopped and slumped down onto the ground. They were safe. Well, for the time being anyway. The former pilot rested his back against the sturdy trunk as Relena moved to join him.  
  
"You alright, Duo?" her sweet voice interrupted the silence.  
  
The young man didn't utter a word as he assessed the damage wrought on his body. He was exhausted, and his legs were weak from the run. Glancing at his arms, he took in the dried blood staining his leather jacket. Taking a slight detour, Duo wondered at how much blood loss he'd suffered and if it was going to affect him in any way. Someone was out to get either him or Relena and, upon closer inspection, it was more likely Relena. Who would want to kill him anyway? He was an ordinary civilian now... who sometimes took on Preventer assignments, but that was beside the point. If whoever tried to kill them **_was_** after Relena, then Duo had to be in fit condition in order to ensure her safety as well as his own.  
  
"Yeah, I'm alright. Shinigami doesn't go down that easily," he responded with light humor. "What about you, Relena?"  
  
"I guess I'm okay, just a bit tired, that's all," she softly replied, wrapping her arms around her knees.  
  
_//She's scared.... ::Of course, she's scared, baka! Her life has just been threatened! What? You think that she'd be ecstatic about assassination attempts?:: I thought, that after all this time, she'd get used to it.... What am I saying? How could anyone get used to having attempts on their lives? Poor girl, it must be pretty unnerving to always have to look round every corner to see if it's safe.//_ Being cautious of his wounds and hers, Duo lifted his right arm and wrapped it around her thin frame. It was a gesture of comfort, understanding, and also a vow; he would protect her and make sure that harm never came her way.  
  
Hearing her sniffle, Duo pulled her closer, offering his warmth and a bit of solace._ //I'll protect you, Relena. It's a promise... and Shinigami always keeps his word.//_  
  
"What are we to do, Duo?" she queried with a sorrowful expression.  
  
"I really don't know, but I'll think of something," he answered somewhat grimly. "What we really need to do is contact Lady Une and inform her of the situation. With some luck, she'll have some idea as to who's behind all this, and we could possibly stand a chance of repelling them. The only hard part about that is finding shelter till they come for us. As of now, the opposition thinks that we were both killed when that bomb went off. We've got some time before they realize that our charred remains aren't in there." The youth was silent as he began to ponder on what actions to take.  
  
"I'm sorry, Duo," Relena's quiet, barely audible voice broke his train of thought.  
  
He looked at her with a confused gaze, trying to decipher the meaning behind those words. "What do you have to be sorry for, Relena?"  
  
"For dragging you into all this," was her solemn response.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he was more confused than before.  
  
"This was obviously an attempt on my life... and if I'd never run into you earlier this afternoon, then you wouldn't have been a part of this," Relena saw that he was about to protest and quickly cut him off, "Things like this always happen to me... and rather than ending my life... they always take the lives of those I care about."  
  
"It's not your fault!" Duo blurted in anger. "You're not the one who's killing them!"  
  
"Not directly," she admitted, "but those around me always seem to get hurt."  
  
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could this girl possibly think herself responsible for those lost lives? "Relena, those people knew what they were doing when they signed up for the job. In a way, by protecting you, they were protecting the peace they loved so much. No one wants this peaceful period to end, and they'll do anything, even give up their lives, to see that it is maintained."  
  
"But must there be so much bloodshed?" she sobbed.  
  
Duo didn't know how to answer so he hesitated, trying to find the best wording. "Everything," he breathed. "Everything has a price.... The actions we take always have a certain consequence, good and bad. Not everyone wants peace, but those who do, will pay anything to obtain it. If things never came with a price... then we'd never learn its true value... or how to appreciate and be grateful for it when we do obtain it."  
  
"I'm just so tired of it all," Relena let out, burying her face into Duo's jacket.  
  
That statement caused a strange constriction inside the youth's chest, and he moved to rest his chin upon her soft head of hair. Taking in the delicate scent of peach and cherry blossoms, Duo gave off an audible sigh. "Yeah, me too..."  
  
For the next twenty minutes, the two sat in each other's embrace in silent contemplation. How did this happen to the both of them? As children, could they have possibly foreseen how their lives would turn out? When did things become too difficult to control? Why was it getting so out of hand? During the war, they'd been more than willing to sacrifice all they had to help the people acquire peace and regain their happiness. In the wake of all the fighting, no suffering was too great if it meant the people of both Earth and space were smiling again. Yet, once everyone had dropped their weapons and was left to enjoy the serene calm, **_they_** were still engaged in battles. Fate was a cruel thing; after fighting so hard for so long, they weren't even allowed to indulge in the quiet that they bloodied their hands for.  
  
"'Jousan?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"We should find a place to stay for a while," he stated matter-of-factly, somewhat unlike his character. "You obviously can't go back to your hotel; the enemy's probably already got that place wired and under surveillance. My house is out of the question as well; they saw me with you so they, more than likely, have all the information they need on me. We can't stay with Trowa and Catherine. We'd only be putting them and the rest of the circus troupe in danger." The former pilot became silent as more ideas ran through his frantic mind. "There's always Hilde's place. Everyone in the neighborhood knows that she'll be away for another two weeks, and I'm guessing that your would-be assassins do as well."  
  
"Are you sure, Duo? Wouldn't it look a little suspicious when they see the lights in the house turned on?" she mused with a quizzical expression.  
  
"We don't have anywhere else to go 'Jousan," he reminded her.  
  
".... Then I guess that's the only option left to us...."  
  


*****

  
The former mechanic's shop continued to burn; dark smoke clouds ascended to the highest reaches of the colony. The entire community had awakened when the explosion ripped through the neighborhood. Although the blast was quite large, most of the area surrounding the shop had been saved from the debris and fire. The local authorities arrived with impeccable timing, blocking the area off to make sure those who would be foolish enough to get near didn't.  
  
As the spectators looked on in fear and awe at the wreckage, they couldn't help but think about the cheerful young man that worked there. His bright, easy-going attitude and playful nature always managed to bring up their spirits. Whispers began when word that the Vice Foreign Minister had been with him was released. Questions of whether the two had died or survived, of why they were together, and of who was behind the terrorist attack, floated in the psyche of the colonists. Wasn't this supposed to be a time to rejoice and bask in the light of a new age where war no longer existed? What if their beloved Vice Foreign Minister did die in that explosion? Where would that leave everyone else? How were they going to manage without her?  
  
"Alright, folks," a policeman asserted, "We'll take care of this. Go back to your homes and stay there until we make sure that the danger's gone."  
  
The bystanders began to protest at the order; if there were a terrorist about, then they wouldn't be safe, no matter where they went. Trying their best to stabilize the onlookers, the police were unaware of the three approaching men. They wore wearing black suits with dark red ties and sunglasses; one of them, a man with messy brown hair who appeared to be in charge, pulled aside one of the officers. He leaned forward, close to the other man's ear and seemed to be asking questions of the officer who either nodded or answered back. After all his questions had been satisfied, the tall figure motioned to his followers, and they left the scene as silently as they had come.  
  
Unnoticed by them all was a slender figure that blended rather well with the shadows. He'd been watching the entire interaction with quiet interest, paying no heed to the other activities going on around him. This matter concerned him a great deal, and he wasn't going to let any sort of information slip past his ever-vigilant ears and eyes. Once the group of men had left the general area, the dark shadow turned around and left as well; he'd obtained all he could from them.  
  


*****

  
Walking through a dark alley in the middle of the night was not the safest thing to do, but at the moment, the two had no other choice. If they'd taken the main streets, the possibility of being spotted would've been guaranteed. Under normal circumstances, Relena would never even give a second thought about taking such dangerous paths, but she was in danger, and she had Duo with her. Taking a step forward, the young diplomat landed in a puddle of water and slipped. Closing her eyes and bracing herself for the impact, prepared to meet concrete, but strangely, she never felt it. Slowly opening her sea green pools, she saw caring and worried eyes peering at her. Blinking twice, Relena realized that Duo had caught her; in his strong arms, her mind wasn't able to comprehend much else.  
  
"Ano... sorry about that, Duo," she apologized and hastily recovered.  
  
"I don't blame you for nearly stumbling," he replied, "I, myself, have a hard time keeping my footing in this kind of setting." Giving her a grin, Duo took hold of Relena's hand and again led her into the darkness.  
  
"How much further is Hilde's home?" Relena asked as they rounded another corner.  
  
"'Bout another block or so. It's kinda hard to tell since we're using the alleys," the youth replied over his shoulder. After taking about three more steps, he suddenly halted and signaled for Relena to stay quiet with a finger to his lips. Pressing himself close to the wall of a building, he motioned for her to follow suit. They waited, holding their breaths and searching the perimeter for any signs of life other than themselves.   
  
*Meow*  
  
Their eyes darted to the left as a brown and white cat jumped out of the shadows. Its strange yellow eyes glowed as a car drove by and then it turned around and scampered off into the night. Once it was gone, Relena let out a heavy sigh; gasping for the air she'd been denied for the past minute. She averted her gaze from the ground to Duo who was cautiously peeking around the building.  
  
"It's all clear, Relena," he exclaimed offering her his hand.  
  
Taking in one last deep breath, the young girl straightened up and took his hand, both disappearing into the darkness once more.  
  


*****

  
At the circus, Trowa and Catherine were making their way back into the trailer they shared. They'd just finish their last performance for the night, and their bodies ached for rest. "Gosh, Trowa, I'm so tired," the young woman sighed. Looking back, she saw her brother nod in agreement. A warm smile touched her lips at his quiet and predictable response. _//I guess he'll never change... but at least he's giving me some kind of reaction. I should be thankful for small miracles.// _  
  
Walking up the wooden steps, Trowa handed her the keys and she unlocked the door. Before entering, her hands roamed the trailer wall until she found a switch and flipped it on. The bright light made her wince for a brief second before she stepped inside. Immediately, the slender woman made for the cupboards to raid it of any remaining food items. This time it was Trowa's turn to smile at her actions as he removed his half mask. Making a path to his bed, the tall youth took off his clown shirt and threw it onto the mattress. _//Strange...// _he thought as he caught a glimpse of a straw hat underneath the discarded garment. _//Relena seems to have left her hat behind.// _   
  
Spinning around to check on his sister, he was met with a flying bottle of water, which he caught with his left hand. It was quickly followed by a small, plastic package, which he caught with his right hand. Glancing down at the item, he discovered that it was a bag of honey-glazed sesame seed biscuits. Lifting an eyebrow curiously, he brought his head up and saw his sister sitting on the counter with an impish grin on her face. "That's all I could really find," she informed him lightheartedly, "so you'd better make it last until I can get some grocery shopping done tomorrow."  
  
"Alright, sis," Trowa replied in his somewhat emotionless voice, which was an improvement really. Making ready to tear open the package, a knock at the trailer door stopped him.  
  
"Wonder who that could be," Catherine mused from the counter.  
  
"We'll soon see," Trowa exclaimed as he neared the door. Opening it, his eyes widened in surprise, "....."  
  


*****

  
Thank the gods above, or whatever higher power that existed; they actually made it to the German girl's house without being spotted. Although the two were relatively safe there, it didn't make them any less cautious or paranoid of the enemies that might be lurking in the bushes. Earlier on Duo had given Relena his leather jacket to keep her warm and to also make her less conspicuous. Constantly checking the area surrounding them, they snuck to the door on light feet. Scrambling for the keys he knew were somewhere in his pants pockets, Duo soon became frustrated. He was about to scream out in annoyance when his hand felt the familiar cold metal. Another minute passed before he was finally able to open the door. The youth paused in his actions when he felt a weight leaning on his side. Cocking his head slightly, he found that Relena had fallen asleep. _//This must've been a really rough day for her... Poor girl.//_  
  
Nudging the door open with his left foot, he lifted the girl's slim form into his arms. A slight frown graced his face and he glanced down at the lithe body. _//She's really thin... I wonder if she's been eating well? All she had today was that tuna sandwich, salad, and popsicle. That must've been her first real meal in a long time. What have you been doing to yourself, Relena?// _Casting those thoughts aside for the time being, he went inside and shut the door behind him. Not wanting to alert anyone to their whereabouts, he refrained from switching on the lights; he knew the place well enough to figure his way around without bumping into things.  
  
Sensing the couch nearby, he maneuvered past the table to the soft piece of furniture. He set down the girl's body with a gentleness he didn't even know he possessed and plopped down on the floor beside her. The young man was too weary to search the place for a blanket and figured his jacket would be sufficient to keep her warm during the night. He, himself, never gave much thought to the night chill. Leaning his head on the edge of the couch, he looked at the girl through the corner of his eyes and sighed; they had actually made it. "Oyasumi, 'Jousan," Duo whispered before joining her in the realms of slumber.  
  


  
-to be continued-  
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I don't know why, but I can never write a completely happy fic. For some odd reason whenever I try to write something cheery and carefree, it never stays on that particular path. After about a chapter or two of something light, it takes a nosedive into angst. You only have to look at Zero Soul to understand what I'm talking about. The third chapter threw all hopes for humor and happiness out the window.   



	4. Breakfast at Hilde's

Disclaimer: If I did own Gundam Wing, I would be rich right now; last time I checked, I wasn't.   
  
Warnings: Mild language  
  
A.N: Apparently some people weren't happy with the last chapter... I tried my best, heck, the first few chapters of Zero Soul wasn't even that long. Well, I hope that this chapter meets with more approval.   


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 4: Breakfast at Hilde's  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
It was cold, terribly cold. A winter's night couldn't lay claim to the temperature dropping chills. It was a frigidness that came with loss and emptiness; the loss of purpose, friends, family, love, and the emptiness felt when one is all alone. There was also darkness; never ending black without a sign of life anywhere save for the huddled form of a young girl. Clothed in a sky blue dress, she laid on her side as still as a rock. Even with the absence of light, her figure was bright, like a lone star in the night sky.  
  
_//Alone...//_ Her mind stated._ //That's what I'll always be.... alone.// She drew more into herself until she was a tight ball. //They've all abandoned me... Milliard, Noin, Father... and Heero... No one ever stays with me... they all just leave once their jobs are done... everyone...//_ A quiet, barely audible sob escaped the young girl followed by another. _//Why?... Why do they always leave? Couldn't... couldn't they just... be with me for a little while longer?.... No... even if they did... it would only be forestalling the inevitable... I'd still be alone in the end...//_  
  
More sobs were released into the darkness and crystalline drops of tears slid down her cheek. It remained like that for what seemed a lifetime; her anguished heart crying into the stillness yet no one answered. _//For the rest of my life this is how I'll be...// _  
  
As if trying to combat the loneliness, memories, happy ones, began to flood her psyche. Times where she spent sunny afternoons with her parents as an ignorant yet innocent child, to car rides with her dearest friend and faithful servant, Pagan. Like the pages of a photo album, they flipped through her consciousness and warmed her heart. Her most cherished memories though, were her moments with Heero Yuy... and yet those moments were also her most heart wrenching. Aboard Peacemillion when he made ready to take off in WingZERO, he'd given her hope and strength; however, his departure left her aching for his presence once more. There was also the time in AC 196 in which she spent time in his company as he personally protected her from the Century Discovery firm and the ambitions of Sogran, but then he was gone again. Every time she thought of him she was left with the feelings of contentment and longing.  
  
Before her mind could retreat back into despair, a joyful laughter filled the space. Uncertainty crept in and the tears stopped along with the sobs._ //... Who...?// _A warm, pleasant sensation developed within her and, for the first time, her eyes opened and she stared at her surroundings; a radiant light, calm, serene, beautiful, and filling. It grew with every intake of breath, warding off the emptiness. Shifting onto one arm and reaching out with the other, she tried to touch the illuminating warmth as a blinding white hand appeared. A shining figure followed and the girl swore it had a smile upon its lips. It was calling for her and she desperately tried to grasp the hand into her own. _//So close...//_ Her mind whispered as their fingertips brushed with one another.  
  
_//Help me...//_ She cried fearing it would soon disappear. In an instant the arm came lower and their hands finally locked. Contact made, the void vanished and the light engulfed them.  
  


*****

  
"Unh," Relena moaned as tired eyes blinked away the last traces of sleep. With lethargic movements, she rubbed at her tired aquamarine orbs and slowly positioned herself upright. With still half closed lids, the young woman gazed at her environment and noticed the bright light from behind the closed curtains. "... It's morning," she whispered to herself in a tired voice.  
  
"Yup!" came Duo's voice as he peeked his head through the doorframe, "It's about time you got up, 'Jousan! I've been waitin' all morning!"  
  
Relena's voice left her as she stared at the jovial youth standing in the kitchen's doorframe. There was a big grin on his face and flour on his red shirt. "... What," she began a bit unsure, "what are you up to, Duo?"  
  
"Huh?" his brows arched in confusion, then he looked down to study himself, noticing the mess he sustained. Rubbing the back of his head with his right hand he let out a good-natured laugh. "Oh, this... I was just... uh... experimenting with Hilde's cooking supplies..."  
  
A tiny smile crept upon Relena's face at the thought of Duo in the kitchen. "You?" she said with amusement lighting her ocean colored eyes, "Cook? Now that's something I have to see to believe." Unaware that she had his jacket on, the young girl got up and made for the kitchen. Upon entering the humble and quaint room, she was hit with the delicious smells of cooking batter, eggs, bacon, and toast. Her mouth began to water as she savored the pleasant aromas, while striding to the little table in the corner. "Mmmmm... It smells heavenly, Duo... when did you do all this?" she queried taking a seat in one of the wooden chairs.  
  
"About thirty minutes ago, after I finished contacting Lady Une," he replied from the stove, flipping some of the pancakes onto a plate.  
  
"You contacted Colonel Une?"  
  
"Yep," Duo confirmed, moving to get some eggs from another frying pan along with some bacon.  
  
"What did she have to say about the whole thing?"  
  
"She told us to stay where we are until they discover who's behind all this. Although..." Duo continued with a thoughtful expression, "the strangest thing was she already knew what was going on before I even told her. When I asked how she found out, she said Trowa called and informed her. Now, how do you suppose Trowa knew that my shop was bombed and that you were the target?"  
  
"Well," the young girl began as she poured herself some orange juice from the nearby pitcher, "from what I've heard, Trowa can be a pretty resourceful guy."  
  
"Where did you hear that from?"  
  
"Oh," Relena looked from her cup, "from the reports submitted by Colonel Une and Sally Po. They also like to reminisce about old times and such."  
  
"I guess I have to agree with you on that one," Duo replied, setting down the heaping mass of food, "he was always good with information and finding out about things before we did."  
  
Not getting a response, the former pilot looked up to the girl in front of him and noticed her bewildered expression. "You're not going to eat all that, are you?" she asked in disbelief, staring with wide eyes at the well-stacked plate.  
  
"Huh?" he blinked with large, round eyes, "Me? Oh, no. I'm not going to eat all that; you are."  
  
The young diplomat's brain had a hard time processing that last statement. "What?! I'm not going to eat all this food, Duo! I can't!"  
  
"Well, you're going to; all of it," the youth retorted sternly. "When I carried you onto the couch last night, I noticed you were kinda underweight... Have you been eating well at all, Relena?" The diplomat across from him averted her gaze to the corner of the table and remained silent. "C'mon, Relena," Duo urged, "What have you been doing to yourself?"  
  
"Nothing..." she finally replied, "nothing that's not out of the norm..."  
  
"What do you mean by that?" he blurted. "Please, Relena, have you even been taking care of yourself?"  
  
"What does it matter anyway?" she queried with pleading eyes. "What does it matter if I'm eating well or not? I'm still alive, aren't I?"  
  
That last sentence stung the young man, sending bolts of pain up his spine and piercing his heart with sharp, cold tinges._ //You... you sound as if you want to die... Is this true, 'Jousan? Do you really want to die?//_ "It," he began with furrowed eyebrows, "is not enough to just **_live_**, Relena."  
  
"Maybe not for you," she whispered with closed lids, "but it's enough for me... it's all I can do..." After giving off a soft sigh, she opened her eyes and was met with a fork load of pancakes.  
  
"Eat," the youth stated, almost ordered, "Please?... For me?" His blue-violet gaze was so much like those of children, pleading with all the sincerity of the world. The look melted her heart and made her want to cry. Relena gave a half smile and opened her mouth. "Now that's better," Duo commented as he slid the fork in, grinning at the pleased look Relena gave as she chewed the warm morsel of food. "Good?"  
  
"Mmmm," she agreed, swallowing the piece with much gusto. "You're not that bad a cook, Duo. Since when did you become such a chef?"  
  
The young man adorned a thoughtful expression, loading up another fork with eggs this time. "To tell you the truth," he hesitated as he lifted the food heavy utensil to the awaiting mouth, "I really didn't get started until after Hilde met Anthony." He glanced up at the munching girl with the inquiring face and chuckled. _//She's so cute when her cheeks puff out like that.//_  
  
"Mmmrf," Relena retorted with an annoyed look.  
  
"Sorry," he apologized, "Well, ya see, Hilde usually did all the cooking around here so I never really had to bother and learn the art. Did I ever tell you what a wonderful cook Hilde is?" Relena shook her head. "In my book, she's number one. Hahaha," he laughed as he remembered the good old days when it was just he and the German girl. Thinking about those times again, a small frown graced his features. He missed her. The best friend he ever had and she wasn't going to be around him as much anymore.  
  
"It's okay, Duo," Relena spoke up, snapping the former pilot from his reverie, "I know that you still miss her, but really, nothing's going to change. She'll always be there for you." The young diplomat was about to say something more when Duo suddenly plopped the fork back into her mouth with a grin.  
  
"Don't think you can talk your way out of eating breakfast," he replied as he loaded up another round of pancake.  
  


*****

  
The room was encased in darkness save for the shaft of light peeking through a tiny break in the curtains. It was a small office, lavishly furnished with all sorts of eye-pleasing materials. A large, mahogany colored desk was centered in front of the curtains and next to it was one of those potted, leafy vegetations that seemed to be custom made for offices. Everything was quiet... a bit too quiet for a normal person's taste, quite eerie. The only exception was the rhythmic, metronomic swirling of the ceiling fan. In the stillness existed only the soft but forceful footsteps treading their way on the plush carpet; its movements were random, ceaseless, and nervous. The figure's shadow distorted the beam of light every time it passed by, over and over again.  
  
*knock* *knock*  
  
The figure stopped in its pacing. "Come in," he stated in a low tenor voice, not bothering to leave his post. "What's the situation?"  
  
The suit-clad form cleared his throat and straightened his body. "Sir, it seems that no remains of the bodies were found. After the fire died down, we checked the area again and discovered that the authorities had nothing."  
  
"Do you suppose someone got to their bodies before the police?" came the shaky question.  
  
"I don't believe that is the case, sir," the firm, low voice responded. "No one could have gotten into the building while that fire was still burning. And when we inspected the area around the building, we discovered some shattered glass along its east side."  
  
"What's that got to do with anything? They were most likely destroyed when the bomb went off." Even as he said those words, his tone contained much doubt and uncertainty.  
  
"Sir," the man began a bit firmer this time, "many of those glass shards had blood on them. And they seemed to trail off in a certain direction. The most likely case is that the two managed to escape before the bomb went off. If so, then they know the girl's in danger and are probably in hiding."  
  
"Hiding?"  
  
"That is correct, sir," he replied in monotone. "Rats often run and hide once they've been flushed out. It might take some time, but we'll find them sooner or later."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"... That is what we are uncertain of, sir," the young man replied in low tones.  
  
"Uncertain? Uncertain!?" That statement made the jittery man fume with unbridled rage. He picked up a book from the nearby desk and threw it at the calm figure. With little effort, the youth tilted his head and dodged the thick volume projectile. Turning his head to look at where the novel landed across the room, he slowly set his gaze back at the raging man. A sly and dangerous grin spread across his lightly tanned face, and his dark blue eyes sparkled with an almost evil gleam.  
  
"That wasn't wise, sir," he stated coolly. "Just because I work for you now doesn't mean I'll work for you forever. Be sure to know who you make an enemy of or you might just regret it later on."  
  
The older man, visibly shaken by that threat, backed away a few steps until he bumped into the rim of his expensive desk. With the support of the furniture, he began to steady himself and calm down. Straightening his tie and adjusting his suit jacket, he cleared his throat and looked back at his underling. "Dismissed."  
  
Nodding once in understanding, the youth left the room as silently as he had entered. Once gone, silence enveloped the room and the man resigned himself to slump into one of the chairs in front of the desk. His forehead was lightly glossed over with nervous sweat and his breathing was shallow and slow. There was something about that young man that frightened him; at times he was almost consumed with an urge to just bolt it out of the room. Those cold, dark blue eyes held death in them and something told the man that the boy could care less that he killed as long as the job was done. He was absolutely terrified.  
  


*****

  
"Duo, I can't eat anymore!" Relena protested as a fork full of eggs hovered in front of her face. "I'm serious! I'm really full!" She swiveled her head to the side to avoid the utensil as Duo moved it closer.  
  
"C'mon, Relena," Duo urged on, "three more and you're finished."  
  
"Three more and I'll explode," she retorted with a 'Heero Yuy' death glare.  
  
Duo contemplated those words then stared at the food before him. Giving off a loud sigh, he placed the fork down, deciding that his health was a bit more important than leftover breakfast. "Okay, okay, I won't force you to eat anymore if you don't want to."  
  
Relena was very much relieved and began to relax a bit more in her chair. "Aren't you going to eat any?"  
  
"Nah, I already stuffed myself with the leftover Chinese I found in Hilde's fridge," he replied, leaning back on the wooden chair.  
  
The girl was perplexed at that sudden information. "If there were leftovers, then why did you even bother cooking in the first place?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, I just thought you'd appreciate a warm meal much better than cold leftovers."  
  
"... Uh... thanks for the thought, Duo," Relena stammered. _//He did all that cooking just for me... He's much nicer than I give him credit for sometimes...// _The thought took her by surprise but before it could take root, her years a diplomat took over and she was left distressed. "Oh, no! I almost forgot! I have a meeting to attend this morning!" Her eyes frantically wandered around the room, searching for something that could instantly take her to that room full of stuffy politicians and diplomats.  
  
"Calm down, Relena," the youth assured her, "there's nothing you can do about it now. The conference started over an hour and a half ago, a little before I woke up. I'm pretty sure that it's over by now."  
  
"What!?" Somehow, the young woman wasn't able to comprehend that sentence. In all her years as Vice Foreign Minister, she had never once missed a meeting of such import. "Why didn't you wake me up?"  
  
_//Is this even real? How can she be thinking about that when her life's being threatened? This girl can't be human!... *sigh* I almost forgot how much alike she and Heero are. They've both got one track minds... kinda funny when you think about it... they're almost like the same person, just different genders.// _"Ojousan, you know that it's impossible for you to be seen right now. I can't allow you to endanger yourself like that. I know how much those meetings mean to you but you could get killed! You're life is way too important to be thrown away like that!"  
  
"But what's going to happen if I'm not there!?"  
  
"The conference, colonies, and the rest of the world can survive without you for a day or two," Duo exclaimed with a serious expression and tone, there was nothing joking about it. "Besides, I already called the building and informed them that you had the stomach flu. That'll give you at least four to seven days away from the negotiation talks."  
  
"But I have to know what's going on so I'll know what to do to handle the situation should it arise again." A pleading look crossed her aquamarine orbs.  
  
Duo smiled sympathetically at her._ //Oi, she'll never change... not for as long as I live.//_ It warmed his heart to see her like this, always caring for others while her own life was in danger. "Again, don't worry about it. I checked with Lady Une and she told me that the room those guys are in are monitored by at least two surveillance cameras. You can check the videos once this whole fiasco ends."  
  
Relief settled in and the young diplomat calmed down just a bit. "So... what'll we do till then?"  
  
"Dunno, but the first thing we have to do is wait for Trowa."  
  
"Trowa?"  
  
"Yup, he's coming over with info and orders form Une as well as some supplies."  
  
"Hmmm..." She got up to clear the dishes but stumbled as her hip hit the tabletop, exciting a bruise that was healing up till that point. The dishes made a loud clang as they hit the wooden furniture and her hands grasped its sides in order to steady herself. Instinctively her right hand moved to cover the injury, putting pressure on it.  
  
"Don't move, 'Jousan!" Duo hastily ordered. "Kuso! I can't believe I forgot about your wounds. Here," he said reaching over to clasp her hand to lead her into the living room. They made it over to the couch and the youth motioned for her to sit down while he went back into the kitchen to retrieve the first aid kit. A moment later he was back on the couch, taking out some cream and bandages._ //I should've patched her up as soon as she had awakened. Baka! You're always screwing things up.//_  
  
"Give me your left arm," he instructed. She did as he told her and winced, apparently her hunger that morning made her oblivious to the pain her body felt. Really, it wasn't all that bad when she was eating and had only appeared once her stomach was full. "Oi..." Duo breathed out when he was finally able to take full notice of her scab ridden arm, a few were beginning to bleed again. Contrary to what he had believed last night, she hadn't escaped all that unscathed. _//I'm so sorry... I should have protected you much better than this... If it had been Heero, he would have never let this happen to you.//_  
  
Duo spent the entire time in silence, ashamed to utter a single word. On her part, Relena could sense that something wasn't right with the young man yet chose not to say anything. She understood the look he had on his face and felt it was best that he be left to ponder in his own thoughts. Everybody needs to have time to themselves, right? "There you go," the young man beamed after applying a last bandage on her knee. "Ya know," he started taking in her full appearance, "maybe you should change out of that dress."  
  
"But I have nothing else to wear."  
  
"You can wear Hilde's old clothes. I don't think she'll mind you borrowing a few of them for awhile considering the situation," he explained. She nodded and headed in the direction pointed out to her.  
  
*knock* *knock*  
  
The sound came from the back door of the kitchen. _//That's Trowa.//_ Thought the mechanic as he left his seat to let in his awaited guest. He turned the knob slowly just in case the person behind the barrier wasn't who he thought it was. Luckily for him, he met a stoic face and motionless green eyes. "What took ya so long?"  
  


*****

  
"So, Trowa," Duo piped up from the couch, "how long do we have to stay here?"  
  
The stoic young man looked up from his seat on the cushioned chair opposite the former Deathscythe Hell pilot, little could be detected on his face. "Until your new contact arrives. He'll tell you what to do from here on." Was all he said before returning to stare at the coffee table and the bandages sprawled on it. Moments passed and the silence became something like a burden on the usually talkative mechanic. It went on for a few more minutes before the taller youth decided to say something. "... How badly were the two of you injured last night."  
  
Duo sighed with relief and contentment at the prospect of not having to keep quiet. "Is wasn't anything serious. Relena only sustained a few scratches and bruises."  
  
"And you?"  
  
"Me? Well, besides a couple of cuts here and there, plus a few singed hairs, I'm okay. Although I was worried my hair would catch on fire." Taking a look at his bandaged arm he continued, "It could've been worse ya know.... Relena and I could have died in that bombing..." There was a long moment of silence before Duo spoke up again. "Are you sure about our enemies?"  
  
".... Yes. Relena's constant struggle for more pacifist means of negotiation has made her many foes."  
  
"Kuso! She could've died!" Duo seethed in anger. "... She could've died.... and all because some ignorant politician doesn't like the fact that she's not agreeing with him..."  
  
"Lady Une has assured me that as soon as they can confirm their suspicions, they'll arrest the man," Trowa stated with an unbelievably stoic face, but that wasn't anything new. "Although... if it is him, we could have some problems with his nation possibly going to war..."  
  
"Oh yeah," the shorter youth chirped up, "thanks again for all the supplies. I really didn't want to eat Hilde out of house and home, but tell me something," he leaned forward so that his forearms rested on his knees, "how did you manage to get here without being spotted?"  
  
"... I blend well with the shadows," Trowa replied as coolly as ever.  
  
"Now that's an understatement!" Duo remarked with a grin. "Uh... so who is this informant and when is he suppose to arrive?"  
  
"Tonight, and his identity is to remain confidential until then."  
  
"Fine then, I guess I'll just have to wait." He looked down at his watch and frowned. _//Geez, I can't wait that long! I'll die of boredom! Someone just shoot me now... Hmmmm I wonder what Relena would want to do tonight? Maybe we could watch a video until the guy shows up... I like that idea.//_  
  
Just at that moment Relena reappeared wearing some of the German girl's old clothes; a dark blue sweatshirt and light blue jeans. Being about the same size, Relena filled into the garment quite well. She seemed content to be wearing such comfortable clothing and it suited her well. Relena had accepted her little 'vacation' away from work a few minutes ago, realizing that there were really no other options left for her to take. "So, what's up?" she asked only to be met by a mischievous grin from the braided youth.  
  


  
-to be continued-  
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I know, I know. This wasn't much of a chapter but they usually get better once you write a couple more chapters for the book. Alright, I think that I should do some explaining for this fic. First of all, I'm trying to follow the Endless Waltz storyline as close as possible. That means that Noin and Zechs are still on Mars working on the Terraformation project and Relena doesn't know about it. Also, if you're wondering, the Century Discovery firm and General Sogran are from the Gundam Wing official manga, Blind Target. Along with that, before Hilde met her husband, she and Duo use to live together, but moved out once she started seeing the guy. Okay, I am striving to make this fic less than 10 chapter long and by the looks of it, that might actually happen.  



	5. A Day Spent Indoors

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are the property of Sotsu, Sunrise, TV Asahi, Bandai, etc. I don't own any part of it and I'm not making any money out of it either. This is purely for entertainment purposes, nothing more and nothing less.   
  
Warnings: 2+R fic. Mild language  
  
A.N: This will probably be the happiest fic I will ever write since it's almost (but not totally) angst free. I'm not the best at writing happy stuff. When you read this please remember that I tried my best.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 5: A Day Spent Indoors  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
"Later, Trowa," Duo called out quietly, waving at the retreating form. The stoic youth wasn't one for words and decided to leave and check up on Catherine. If the enemy had seen him with Duo and Relena earlier at the circus and recognized him as a Gundam pilot, then, more than likely, they would go after the knife-thrower to get to him. He had to be there to insure the young woman's safety and the fear of losing her made him all the more urgent.  
  
As the braided mechanic continued to wave he became conscious of a lithe body joining him at the doorway. The close contact made him quiver with a strange, indefinite feeling he'd been receiving all morning and yesterday. It was a warm sensation not unlike comfort and a sense of belonging. After debating with himself for some time, the former pilot decided he liked the feeling. Unconsciously he moved an arm to wrap around Relena's willowy shoulder, pulling her closer as the two continued to stare at their departing friend. One would think the two did such a thing on a regular basis from the way they stood together, leaning on one another for support.  
  
When the circus performer was out of sight, Relena squirmed out of Duo's hold and moved into the living room to check out the bag Trowa brought, her curiosity getting the better of her. The abrupt action took Duo by surprise and he whimpered, missing that delightful body heat. With one last glance to make sure no one saw them, Duo closed the door and strode over to help the diplomat with her task. He stifled the urge to laugh upon seeing Relena rummaging without care like a typical child. He'd never seen her so carefree and serene as he did right at that moment.  
  
"What are ya lookin' for?" Duo questioned, looking over her shoulder.  
  
Grinning sheepishly, Relena tore herself away from the container and gazed at the youth. "Nothing really... just wanted to know what's inside... that's all," she replied innocently.  
  
"Yeah, sure," he remarked, rolling his eyes and moving the bag away from the girl's prying hands. The mechanic settled on the couch and started to remove the items inside, appraising them one by one. "Oooo!" he articulated with much excitement, "He brought us popcorn... which means he's got to have brought us a movie as well!" With more fervor than before, he searched until he found the item in question, "Aha!" He held up the treasure of his hunt, a CD-like case that had the title of some non-descript horror movie that had been released some odd days prior. "I've been waiting forever for this movie to come out!" Giving Relena a mischievous grin he commented, "I'm sure you're gonna love this, 'Jousan."  
  
"What's it about?" she queried trying to grab it out of Duo's hand while he kept it slightly out of her reach.  
  
"That surprise will be saved for later when we actually watch it," the former pilot remarked then turned serious. "But first things first and that's making sure this place is secure and ready should the enemy discover your whereabouts."  
  
"How do we go about doing that, Duo?" Relena asked as she removed more of the items from the brown paper container: some extra provisions, some electronic devices, and a few disks.  
  
Shinigami become lost in thought, contemplating what to do to keep the Vice Foreign Minister protected. His aggravation caused him to pace around the ample living room as he swam in a sea of ideas. Glancing over to the door, then the windows he decided the best thing to do at the moment was to make sure no one would be able to enter without triggering an alarm. Knowing the German girl had yet to purchase a security system, not really needing one for the neighbor was fairly safe from intruders, meant he had to put together something with the bits and pieces that Trowa provided him. Groaning, he realized he was going to have a long day ahead of him and no one to help him save a girl with a bad record when it came to assassination attempts.  
  


*****

  
"Oi," the mechanic called out from behind the curtains, "hand me the screwdriver and the small laser sensors."  
  
Unsure of what he was asking for, the girl scanned the coffee table, going from object to object until she spotted one that she fathomed to be the laser sensors. Picking up the two items, Relena walked to were Duo kneeled and handed him what he requested. "Is this it?" she asked as he reached towards her hand.  
  
Duo looked down at the object and nodded with a grin. "Yup! You sure know your equipment. Are you positive you haven't done anything like this before, 'Jousan?"  
  
The young woman took his comment nonchalantly and giggled, "Yes, Duo, I have. In my spare time from all those stuffy meetings, I'm an international terrorist and I like to rig up my own security systems."  
  
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, I knew it!" Duo exclaimed, pointing a finger at the wide-eyed girl. "Well, Madame terrorist, although you might know a lot, you don't know everything. Would you like me to show you how some of these things work?" His face remained impassive yet there was a hopeful look in his eyes.  
  
Relena gave a shrug, "Why not? I don't have anything better to do at the moment." Sitting down next to the former pilot she moved her head close to his, until they almost touched, looking at the object in his hand.  
  
"Okay, 'Jousan, we'll skip the basics and start with something more interesting," he exclaimed pointing with the tip of the screwdriver to a few of the wires inside the small, black, box-like object in his hand. "These wires are the most important parts of the laser sensor; each one controls a different function and are vital for it to operate correctly."  
  
"How so?" the young woman asked, not sure what he was saying.  
  
"Well, if you're not careful when you're setting these things up and accidentally damage or cross them, then you'll end up turning a harmless sensor into a deadly heat laser..." there was an apprehensive look to his face and he grimaced, "or worse."  
  
Relena giggled at his expression, "It sounds as if you've experience what that worse thing is."  
  
There was an indignant look on his face before it was changed into a lopsided smile. "Actually, I have, and believe me, it's not something you want to go through. It was even worse than the time I almost burned down my kitchen!"  
  
"You're impossible, Duo. Hey, what's that button on the bottom do?" she queried pointing to a little red object.  
  
"Hm?" He looked to where she indicated and indulged her curiosity, "Oh, that activates the program." He pressed the button and many neon green beams shot out of the device, connecting with the other sensors placed in different areas. The lack of light made the beams more vivid, like a network of radiant spider webs. "Now, you bet that you can sleep soundly at night. 'Jousan."  
  
Enthralled by the astounding display, the young woman stared in awe. "Amazing," she breathed out, slowly whirling around, taking in everything before her. As she finished her sightseeing the lights were abruptly turned off and a slight frown marred her expression.  
  
"Sorry, but we can't go on adding to Hilde's electric bill just yet," he smiled, walking over to the table and retrieving the last three items on it: transmitters. Getting back on his knees, he bent down until he was eye level with the furniture and stuck one of them on the underside of the tabletop. Back on his feet, he moved to the kitchen and placed another inside on the shelf of the medicine cabinet. Once he was done, he stilled a while longer and fingered the last of the tiny mechanisms in his hands, a pensive look on his face. _//Only one left... let's see where I can put this one. Hm, if we were to be attacked by the enemy, what's the most likely place where they'll come after us? Geez, if I were given at least two more then I would have a better time figuring this out... They're obviously not after me, so I guess that the logical place to put this would be were Relena is at most of the time. I've already gotten the living room and the kitchen... The bathroom? Nah, that place is too near the living room, I don't need any there. The bedroom? Hm, it's pretty isolated from the other areas and she would be spending more than 8 hours there... so I guess that seems to be the most logical place.//_  
  
Returning to the living room, he strolled by Relena without a word and headed into the hallway leading to the sleeping quarters. Upon reaching the room, he carefully opened the door and walked inside, surveying the area. The mechanic couldn't put it in any of the cabinets or drawers, they'd muffle out the sounds too much, what with all the clothes stored in them. Duo was becoming aggravated when he finally saw the lamp, or more importantly, the lampshade. Taking into account all the options, he decided it was the best place and stuck it on the underside of the shade. Happy with his work, he dusted off his hands as if he were clapping off dirt that had gathered there.  
  
"Uh, what are you doing, Duo?" Relena queried from the door's frame.  
  
Looking a bit embarrassed, the self-proclaimed, ex-Shinigami slowly turned around and gave her an uneasy smile. "Nothing," he replied hastily, cupping the back of his head with his hands and whistling hysterically. "Nothing at all... Hey! You hungry, 'Jousan?" he asked enthusiastically, eager to change the subject.  
  
The bewildered lass peeked down at her watch and saw that it was already well into the afternoon. "Gee, I'm surprised that your stomach hasn't growled yet considering the time for lunch has passed." She suppressed the urged to laugh when the youth gave her an indignant glower and snorted.  
  
"Humph, it's not like I think about food all the time ya know," he remarked striding past with his nose upturned. He was about to make it out the door when a hand on his shoulder stopped him, turning his head around to meet jovial, marine blue eyes.  
  
"I apologize, Duo," she offered still smiling, "I didn't mean to tease you like that, but you can't say that you haven't teased me just the same." Relena took away her hand and skipped in front of the young man, facing him as she gradually walked away. "I'd say," she began playfully, "that you're usually the one doing all the teasing, especially to poor, helpless young girls like myself."  
  
"Who's a helpless young girl? Last time I checked, you had more than half of the Preventers covering your back. I'm not even going to get into that part about being poor, Miss Vice Foreign Minister of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation," he retorted, saying that last sentence in one breath. /_/Boy Relena sure has one long title. I wonder if that's what's on her nameplate...//_  
  
"You can stand there and call me whatever you want, but I, however, am going to get something to eat." With that said, she spun around and stalked towards the kitchen.  
  
Duo blinked, taking a moment to catch up to what the young diplomat had said then ran after her. The mention of food had stirred that low, familiar rumbling in his stomach, his mouth watering at the thought of a warm meal._ //All this work making this place safe sure did take my mind off of **you**... I just hope that it's enough to keep Relena safe.//_  
  


*****

  
A black limo turned round the corner of the drug store with moderate speed, as its passengers searched the streets for signs of their targets. In the front sat the two subordinates while the young man in charge occupied the back all to himself. He wore the same dark suit and sunglasses, and sported the same messy look to his hair. His arms and legs were crossed as his back leaned against the cushioned seat; he pondered on what course of action to take pertaining to the young woman. Through his shades, he eyed the two in the front and inhaled; this wasn't going to be easy._ //How am I supposed to complete this task with those two idiots around? They'll be in the way and if worse comes to worse, I'll be the one to pay the price. That's not acceptable and I'm going to see to it that this goes off without a hitch. But what to do with HIM... he'll get in the way and I might have to end his life...//_  
  
"Hn," he signed to himself, unable to put into actual words, the emotions churning within him.  
  
As they drove on, the one in the passenger seat, a man with dark blond hair, spoke up, "Sir, why not go to that circus they were spotted at yesterday and question that clown they talked to?"  
  
"What would make you ask such a thing?" the young man inquired wearily.  
  
"Wouldn't it make more sense to use him to get to Darlian? He probably knows where they're hiding and might even have made contact with them," the man reasoned, trying to ignore the building tension at the same time.  
  
"Hn," the other snorted dangerously, "Things are never that simple. The clown was a Gundam pilot, and knowing Gundam pilots, they won't divulge information so readily, especially to strangers. He'd rather die than give us what we want and if that happens, we'll risk giving ourselves away."  
  
"Then why not use one of his circus comrades as a bargaining chip, preferably his sister?" He countered, looking over his shoulder to see the other's reaction.  
  
"I prefer the more direct approach," he began lowly, "besides we can't fully rely on such methods. Do you have a problem with that?" The look in his eyes was something not to be questioned and the subordinate quickly made to escape the conversation. Soon all was silent once more and they continued down the street, their eyes attentively searching the area.  
  
After passing another block, frustration and impatience getting the better of him, the man in the back ordered the car to stop. The others looked on confused, while their man got out and took off his shades to glare at them with cold, dark blue eyes. "I can handle this by myself," he snapped before putting the shades back on, turning and briskly heading in another direction. "Don't come after me," he remarked sharply, his back to them, "they're mine."  
  


*****

  
Upon entering the kitchen, Duo was rewarded with a truly endearing scene: Relena tying on one of Hilde's aprons. He leaned on the door's frame and chuckled to himself, wondering what the heck she was planning to do. "Do you even know what you're doing, 'Jousan?"  
  
Relena didn't stop with her task, checking cupboards and draws for the cooking utensils. "What exactly do you mean by that, Duo?" Opening another cabinet she was able to locate a frying pan and a spatula, placing both onto the stove. "Why do you so hastily assume that I have no clue how to handle myself in a kitchen?" Moving towards the table, she retrieved the grocery bag she brought in from the living room. "Do you automatically conclude from my upbringing that I don't know how to cook? Is that it?" That was when she turned around and eyed him, expression both angered and hurt.  
  
Duo was at a loss for words, not expecting the girl to say that to him. "Um, um," he stuttered, embarrassed with himself, "Actually... It sorta did pop into my mind the moment I saw you putting that apron on." He blushed, reluctant to make eye contact, muttering a 'sorry' under his breath. "Gee, I guess I'm not the only one who's quick to draw conclusions, ne? Pardon everything I said, onegai?" In between her work, Relena threw him a smile over her shoulder.  
  
"I understand, don't worry. People always base their opinions on appearances, that is the way we are, human beings. To us, everything must fit some type of mold we set for one another; it's a way to help keep some sort of stability. It doesn't matter whether those pre-conceived notions are true or not, as long as people are familiar with them." The young woman stopped for a brief second, staring at the counter and the vegetables strewn about. "The real person doesn't matter, I don't think they ever have. As long as everyone stays within the confines of the boundaries set for him or her, then the people feel at ease, knowing that everything is as it should be. However, that means the person being judged is now locked into a role he/she cannot hope to escape."  
  
"I once heard this saying a long time ago," Duo piped up, "and it went along the lines of something like this, "People fear what they don't understand". Have you ever heard of that?" He looked to his right and saw Relena nod with a solemn expression gracing her delicate features. "I guess it's like how the people of the Earth and colonies can only see you as either their former Queen or the Vice Foreign Minister, right? I mean, how would the people react if you started acting like Heero Yuy? There would be world wide pandemonium and everyone would be shouting, "The world's coming to an end!" or things like that." He exclaimed trying to lighten things a bit.  
  
"It's worse when you're in the public's eye, because then the things expected of you aren't just restricted to those around you but those you know or have heard of you." A tear escaped her eyes and a shiver passed through her spine; Relena was nearly on the verge of crying, bracing herself on the counter to avoid falling down. "Every single move you make is monitored and criticized, whether or not they like you. One mistake and then the entire solar system will shun you; your previous years then become non-existent and only that one moment of weakness counts. You're no longer human to the people since you're supposed to be flawless." Another tear escaped and suddenly, Relena felt a pair of arms enfold her, offering support, comfort, safety, and strength.  
  
"It's okay," Duo whispered tenderly into her ear, "you're strong, Relena, you'll make it through this." He laughed as a thought came to mind, "You know what's funny though? Now that I think about it, compared to you, if I were to ever disappear, no one besides Hilde would really care while the world would be thrown into a fit of hysteria if you were gone for a few days."  
  
"That's not true," Relena protested, leaning into his embrace, oblivious of the smile that lit his face with the action.  
  
"Hah," Duo snorted, tightening his hold a fraction.  
  
"There are lots of people who would worry: the Preventers, the Gundam pilots, your neighbors, your customers... and me. You may not have been aware of this, but you've come to mean a lot to me, Duo. I'd more than likely worry myself silly if anything ever happened to you..." she let the last words trail off into a whisper as her face flushed with embarrassment at the small confession.  
  
"I appreciate the sentiment, even though you only said that to make me feel better," Duo spoke into her hair, savoring its delicate smell.  
  
"I meant what I said, Duo." She tilted her head to gaze into his dark blue eyes, "Thank you for being there for me when I needed you."  
  
The youth's cheeks reddened as he delved into the watery depths of her ocean blue eyes. "Uh," Duo stammered, finding himself somewhat uncomfortable now and a bit guilty at the same time. Relena was a friend and the lines of friendship should never be crossed for any reasons whatsoever._ //Even if I like her, I shouldn't... I mean she likes Heero and only Heero... I don't care if she's kind, caring, and beautiful, and that she has the prettiest smile, and the sweetest laugh, or that she makes me feel warm inside. It doesn't matter if I can talk to her about anything and she listens to everything I say... and when I'm near her, holding her like this, all my fears go away... I'm just her friend and that's what she needs most right now, a friend.//_ "Hey, 'Jousan, why don't I help make dessert? How does chocolate pudding sound?"  
  


*****

  
"Sorry I took so long, Trowa," Catherine apologized as she slipped inside the trailer. Closing the door behind her she located her brother sitting on a chair near the kitchen counter reading a book. He tilted his head and took in the sight of about one too many grocery bags and got up to relieve her of a few of them. "How are you holding up anyway?" She asked, setting down a bag.  
  
"Alright," he answered quietly, already removing some of the contents his sister bought.  
  
"Have you been keeping yourself busy while I was away?" She teased, placing a few of the provisions in the cabinets.  
  
"... You can say that," he replied, his lips quirking up just a fraction, a hint of a smile.  
  
"So are you hungry yet?" Catherine pivoted her head and saw a nod in affirmation. As she proceeded to extract the cooking ware from the drawers, a knock came at their door. "Could you go get that, Trowa?"  
  
"Alright," he said and headed towards the trailer door and opened it.  
  
"Hn."  
  


*****

  
Duo had the most mischievous smile on his lips as he stared at the bowl he was making the pudding in. Swirling the spoon a few more rounds, he lifted it up to check on its consistency; it was smooth, not too thick and not too diluted. Concealing his grin, he spooned up a large quantity and straightened up, hiding the object behind his back. "Oi, 'Jousan!"  
  
Relena tore her gaze from the salad bowl to face Duo, only to be met with flying chocolate pudding right between the eyes. "T-That... That was uncalled for, Maxwell!" she screamed and threw a piece of carrot in Duo's direction.  
  
"Whoa," he remarked, ducking in time to just barely dodge the flying vegetable. He turned to see where the produce landed then turned his head towards Relena and got conked with half a head of cabbage. _//What did I get myself into?// _He pondered, rubbing the spot he where he was hit. "Eep," he squeaked when a cucumber was sent his way. His arms intuitively went to cover his face as the food item bounced off his arms and onto the floor.  
  
After a quick scan of the counter, the youth acquisitioned a plate to use as a shield while he threw another spoonful of pudding at his assailant. "I thought you were supposed to be a pacifist!" he queried through a hail of sliced onions.  
  
"That was when I was a Peacecraft! I haven't been one since the Sank Kingdom fell! So the rules of pacifism no longer apply, especially in this situation!" Gracefully dodging a couple rounds of the chocolate dessert, her hands roamed the counter until they brushed a bottle. Without a second thought, the diplomat swung her arm and her target was coated with light vinaigrette.  
  
"Ack!" he squawked staggering back.  
  
"So," Relena drawled out, hands on hips and a superior look on her face, "do you surrender, or do you want another round of vegetables to fly your way?"  
  
"Shinigami," he rasped, "doesn't surrender to any enemy." With that he made to run, but slipped on the oily floor and fell forward, taking the stunned girl with him. For moments, his mind was black and all he could see were yellow starbursts, as he fought for coherency. "Ugh," he moaned, blinking back the haze only to gaze at the serene face below. Fascinated, he looked on in wonder as her eyes slowly fluttered open, focusing on his curious expression.  
  
"W-What happened?" she asked, still dazed, grimacing when she tried to move her head.  
  
"Um... um... Sorry 'bout that," he whispered, trying to steady himself before getting up and offering a hand to the fallen body.  
  
"Looks like we can forget about the side dish and the dessert," Relena commented, taking in state of the kitchen. "You know that we have to clean this all up, right?" She looked at him through the corner of her eyes.  
  
"Aw man," he groaned, running a hand through his hair, fingering a piece of onion. "Can't we think about this in the morning? Can't we just eat?"  
  
"Sure, if you like burnt chicken," she said crestfallen, examining the remains that was to be their dinner.  
  


*****

  
Dinner was half an hour passed and the two were much enthralled with the movie they were watching, a large bowl of popcorn positioned between the two of them. Relena sat clutching a pillow close to her while she grabbed handfuls of popcorn. The current scene they were watching included a girl, her boyfriend, and a dark alley with a shadow looming over the two. The diplomat leaned closer to the screen as the shadow got closer and closer with each step, the girl tightening her grip on her boyfriend's arm. She held her breath when the silhouette pulled out a knife, then with blinding speed, brought the knife down - "AAAARRGGHHH!!!" Duo screamed into her ear.  
  
"AAAHHHH!!!!" Relena screamed in turn, throwing popcorn into the air. Out of breath, she turned, giving the joker the evil eye, literally fuming with anger. "Was that supposed to be funny?" she asked tightly, preparing to kill the mechanic.  
  
"Uh," Duo stuttered nervously, sweat dripping from his forehead, "that was the intention... I guess... that it didn't work all that well, ne?" Whatever higher power existed must have really loved the former pilot for at that moment, a knock came from the back door. "I'm gonna go get that," he hastily muttered, sprinting for the door as if his life depended on it.  
  
"Whew," he exhaled, wiping the perspiration from his brow before turning the knob. "Nani?" he choked out as he stared into midnight black eyes. He took in the sight before him: a Chinese youth about his height, maybe a few inches shorter, hair in a tight ponytail, khakis, white T-shirt, and a leather jacket, carrying a backpack. "Wufei? You're our contact?!"  
  
"Hasn't anyone ever told you that it's impolite to stare, Maxwell?" The Chinese agent remarked, letting himself into the house.  
  
"It's nice to see you too, Wufei," Duo replied dryly, closing the door. "So, what's going on?"  
  
"I can't stay long so I'm going to make this as quick as possible," he snapped, leaning against the kitchen table. "The enemy is Taylor."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Representative Fredrick Taylor of the small country a few kilometers away from the former Sank Kingdom. Darlian knows who he is; in fact, she and he had quite an argument the morning prior at the symposium," Wufei informed.  
  
Duo held a perplexed face as he tried to contemplate the motive behind the man's actions. "Well, why the hell is he after Relena anyways?"  
  
"You see, his country is currently in a struggle with its neighbor over some territory northeast of them," he began but got interrupted.  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?"  
  
"I was getting to that and if you would let me finish, you'll know!" There was a moment of silence as the Asian youth re-composed himself, "They're fighting over the land because they just discovered that it contains abundant amounts of natural resources: metals, fuel, water, and rich soil. It was previously a part of the Sank Kingdom, but ever since that nation was destroyed, they assumed all of the land had been rendered worthless. Now that they know otherwise, both are very eager to get their hands on it, especially considering that natural resources are getting harder and harder to come by."  
  
"So they want Relena dead because she's in the way," the braided young man seethed.  
  
"Correct," Wufei confirmed, "Relena Darlian is the one most set on the two countries trying to work things out. The previous morning, she explicitly protested against the use of force from Taylor's country. Since her influence spreads throughout the majority of the Earth Sphere, the members will automatically back anything she says. If Darlian was out of the way while the proceedings were held, the members won't be as set against the idea of war, maybe even thinking that they can benefit from it."  
  
He took a deep breath before continuing, "I guess it was lucky for her that she ran into you; we've just discovered that her hotel room was rigged to explode last night. If she'd gone there instead of to your shop, she would not be alive right now, which I am very thankful for."  
  
"Grrr," the youth growled, fists clenched tightly, "so when are we going to take this guy out?"  
  
"We can't," the Preventer briskly remarked, "we can't touch him right now since he has diplomatic immunity. Besides, there's no evidence to suggest he had anything to do with Darlian's assassination attempt; for all the public knows, it might have just been some random terrorist organization. No; all we can do right now is keep the Vice Foreign Minister safe until we salvage sufficient info to nail the guy."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"Maybe a few days," Wufei replied exhaustedly, "The security surrounding this guy is very rigid. We have reasons to believe that he has a special team working for him."  
  
"I might not be able to protect her for that long," Duo exclaimed, "Can't you call the others for help? What about Heero? Can you guys get a hold of him?"  
  
"Winner is away on business and Barton can't leave the circus, he has to be there in order to keep them safe. As for Yuy, we lost contact with him a year ago," the Chinese agent explained.  
  
"A year? I thought he left the Preventers two years ago?"  
  
"That's how he wanted it to look, he was still gathering information for us then. That's all he really did, saying that he preferred to work alone and out of the light of day. I was angry at first but then I realized why he did so, I guess he was following Zechs' example. A man who no longer exists has a much easier time getting to places without disturbance."  
  
"Yeah," Duo sighed, "that sounds like Heero all right. Did I ever tell you the time he stole my name once to use as an alias at a school?"  
  
"That's Yuy for you," Wufei agreed shaking his head, "For all his skills as a soldier, you'd think he'd have some common sense and change his name into a less conspicuous one already."  
  
"So I'm by myself for this mission?" the mechanic asked dejectedly.  
  
"No, I'll try to help you as best as I can. I still have to gather information about Taylor's scheme, but I'll see what I can do to ease your burden." Pushing himself off the counter, he took off the backpack and threw it into Duo's hands. "In case anything goes terribly wrong, there's the necessary items you'll need to leave the colony and go somewhere safer: a gun plus a few clips, new identification cards, disguise equipments, and a few credits."  
  
"Do you really think... it might actually come to that?" Duo asked frantically seeking an answer in obsidian colored orbs.  
  
"It has in the past; at least now, we're equipped for whatever they'll throw our way," the shorter youth replied calmly. "I'll be taking my leave now, Sally Po's expecting me to check with her in half an hour," he spoke up, "but before I leave, could you tell me how Darlian's doing?"  
  
"Huh?" the former pilot blinked, "Uh, aside from being a little shaken up, I think she's holding up well, although, more than once, she's let her real feelings surface... and she's scared. Of all the things in the world, I'd never imagine that she'd be scared."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with being scared," Wufei said reassuringly, "we're all scared at some point in our life."  
  
"Yeah, I know," Duo, replied, rubbing the back of his skull, "I guess I'll see ya later."  
  
"Goodbye, Maxwell." With that the Preventer was out the door and walking into the obscurity of the night, his form becoming a part of the shadows.  
  
_//Thanks Wufei, I'm glad you're on our side, although, I wish he could've stayed longer.// _He thought as he entered the living room. _//I'm sure Relena would've enjoyed meeting him... Hey, where'd she go?//_ His mind became frantic as his eyes darted back and forth, searching the living room. _//Oh, God, where is she?// _Rationality gone, he started to scrutinize every inch of the room, looking for clues, when he saw the door, slightly ajar. Panic filled his mind, no longer able to think lucidly.  
  
"What are you doing?" Relena's voice broke through his uncertainty. The gentle tone jolted him back to reality and he was at the girl's side in the blink of an eye. Words left him as he took stock of the girl's condition, taking hold of her as if she would evaporate right before him. Tears stung his eyes and his breath came short when he tried to speak. "I-I..."  
  
"Duo, what's wrong?"  
  
"W-Where did you go?" he gasped out finally.  
  
Relena was puzzled, but lightly wrapped her arms around his slim waist answering, "I was in the bathroom picking popcorn out of my hair... Is something wrong?"  
  
"N-No, nothing's wrong... nothing really," he released the young woman and gently patted her hair, finally calming down. "Uh, why don't you get ready for bed, it's getting late, hmm?"  
  
"Okay, I'll be right back when I finish... I want to ask you something," she said timidly, a blush tinting her cheeks.  
  
"Sure," he replied, flashing his trademark smile. Giving the former pilot a thankful expression, she headed for Hilde's bedroom. With her out of the room, he went over to shut the door, still wondering how it got open. The moment he reached it, the door was thrown open and Duo was unexpectedly staring down the barrel of a gun.  
  


  
-to be continued-  
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O.o, another cliffhanger... Don't you just love 'em?   



	6. Cold Heart, Warm Hands

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are the property of Sotsu, Sunrise, TV Asahi, Bandai, etc. I don't own any part of it and I'm not making any money out of it either. This is purely for entertainment purposes, nothing more and nothing less.   
  
Warnings: 2+R fic. A bit of angst and a wee bit OOC on Relena's part.  
  
A.N: I think I'm the butt of life's joke. This fic was done a while ago, but my PC was down and I had no access to the Net. I went to a friend's house to upload it but noticed some errors so I decided to fix them. When I tried to save something went amiss; it said the document was protected; I checked for problems, but nothing turned up. Something should have clicked inside my head cause this happened before with ch. 12 of Zero Soul. Since I wasn't able save and it wouldn't let me leave without saving, I opted not to save. HAHAHAHAHA, after I did that, the entire chapter got erased... FROM MY DISK! Isn't that funny!? It's my fault for being so careless as to forget such a tragedy, thinking it could never happen again, especially on someone else's PC. I'm an IDIOT, a brainless, arrogant bastard who gets too cocky at times to realize that such things should never be assumed.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 6: Cold Heart, Warm Hands  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
"Where did he go?"  
  
"We don't know, sir," the blond-haired man replied into the cell phone. He turned to his left and saw his partner; a taller man with long brown hair tied in a loose ponytail, leaning against the black car.  
  
"What do you mean you don't know? Did he tell you anything about his plans?" the politician's voice hitched up in trepidation.  
  
"Sir," he sighed, "like I told you before, all he said was that he could handle the mission by himself and for us not to follow." He saw his partner walk towards his direction and turned back to his conversation, quickly commenting, "It was a direct order, we couldn't disobey. He looked ready to kill someone... and neither of us wanted to be that someone."  
  
The taller man suddenly snatched the cell phone out of his grasp, briskly snapping at their client. "Sir, he's the best we've got. Now, if anything should go wrong, we'll contact you, until then just maintain a low profile and keep an eye out for anything that may happen." With that he turned off the device and slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket. He turned to face his partner with a tired expression. "Wanna call it a night?"  
  
The other man shrugged, "Nah, not really... Ya wanna go and get a drink? I hear the local pub has some of the best stuff around, not to mention a wonderful atmosphere." His partner sighed in resignation muttering a 'Why not?' before the two headed back towards the car.   
  
As the blond opened the passenger side door, he hesitated, glancing at his partner to see if he felt the same way. "Do you think he'll be able to do what he set out to do?"  
  
"Like I said earlier, he's the best we've got." There was a contemplative expression on his handsome face as memories came to mind. "Do you remember how he passed those qualification tests the first time round? I'd never seen anything like that in my life... makes me think he's had some prior 'special' training beforehand," he remarked, opening the driver's side door.  
  
Puzzled, his partner hesitated in his actions, "He told us he use to be part of OZ, the Specials Division if I'm not mistaken."  
  
"I don't think that's the case. The Specials are only trained in piloting mobile suits, not our type of 'work', yet he's able to do everything that took us months of training." A dark look passed over his green eyes.  
  
The other blinked then chuckled aloud, "You worry too much." With that he got inside the car, his partner following suit.  
  
"Maybe..." He looked out the window to see if it was safe to pull out.  
  


*****

  
Duo's large, startled eyes looked passed the barrel of the gun into dangerous Prussian blue irises. "He-Heero!?" he stammered but was hushed when Heero pressed a finger to his lips. "What the hell are you doing here?" Giving the flabbergasted mechanic a deadly glare, he stepped inside and closed the door.  
  
"Making sure you're not dead," came the monotone reply. He surveyed the living room, taking in all the details. His brows furrowed and his face grew stern, "Where's Relena?" he questioned apprehensively with concerned eyes.  
  
"She's in Hilde's room, getting ready for bed," Duo answered, studying the tall figure in the dark navy suit and red tie. "Why do you ask?" His eyes widened as a revelation dawned on him. "Has our location been jeopardized?" There was worry in his voice and fear in his dark blue gaze.  
  
"... No," the other hesitated, leaning on the wall to the right of the door, "I just wanted to make sure she was all right."  
  
"... Yeah, sure," Duo remarked, rolling his eyes, his expression showed he didn't buy that excuse one bit. _//Do you honestly expect me to believe that, Yuy? I can't believe that after all this time you still can't come to terms with your feelings for her... but I'm no better than you.//_ He surveyed the room, idly thinking before facing his former comrade. "Soooo," he drawled out, "Why are you really here? Why aren't you the one here protecting Relena?"  
  
"That's my business," he answered coldly, glaring at Duo out of the corner of his eyes before closing them and taking a deep sigh, weary and exhausted over the events of the past week. "I've been keeping an eye on Representative Taylor and Relena... in fact," a mischievous smile appeared on his face, "I'm part of the organization Taylor hired to kill her: Todesengel."  
  
"N-Nani?!" the mechanic sputtered, his eyes round with shock and disbelief. "Of all the- How the hell did you get yourself into that kind of situation?"  
  
The other smirked, "It was easy. About a year ago I heard about that incident involving Taylor's country and their neighbors. Since his country was the first to take action, I knew they'd be the one to instigate a war but Relena interfered. She stated that allowing them military assistance would only further divide the nation and their surrounding neighbors. If Relena wasn't an obstacle, then Taylor could've easily won over a majority of the members, appealing to their greed by offering them a chance at monetary gains."  
  
"After realizing that, I figured Taylor would do about almost anything to get rid of Relena, or at least keep her out of the way until the E.S.U.N. agreed to give him what he wanted. I decided to keep close to him and that's when I discovered Todesengel. It turns out his country and Todesengel have been associated with one another for a very long time. They use that organization for many of their political problems; apparently that country has many. So far I've managed to get by with stirring any suspicion..."  
  
"So, how do we get them?" There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes and Heero was amazed at how serious the easy going youth had become.  
  
"You're going to stay here to protect Relena... I already have a plan..." he remarked tentatively, "but I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it..."  
  


*****

  
In a bar two men sat languidly on the counter stools, their backs hunched as they brooded over their drinks. The blond on the left was on his third shot of liquor while the brunette to his right was finishing his fourth. Their postures were relaxed and their movements gave no hints that the alcohol had taken its toll or not. In the bar's lazy atmosphere no one could have discerned these men as cold-blooded murderers. They needn't agonize about their enemies for they were men used to assassination attempts. They need not fear death; death was a close companion of theirs'.  
  
"I don't trust him," the tall brunette spoke out of the blue.  
  
"That's nothing new. Tell me something I don't know, Marcus," he replied sarcastically, swirling the glass before taking another sip of his drink.  
  
"Dammit, Chris!" the other yelled, slamming his glass on the counter with an forceful 'thud', "This is serious! We could be dealing with a spy here." His face fumed with anger and many customers looked in their direction. His partner apologized to the other people for his companion's loud disruption.   
  
With a sigh he turned on the brunette, "A spy?" there was a look of puzzlement in the younger man's face, "Are you sure?"  
  
"Not really..." Marcus admitted, returning his attention to his unfinished scotch, "but you've seen for yourself what he's capable of; it's as if he's been involved with espionage all his life. If we're not careful, he could undermine all of Todesengel right under our noses."   
  
"You're taking this way too seriously," the younger man chided, "Todesengel has been around for decades, it's not going to collapse because of one boy's actions." With a flick of his wrist, he downed the remaining liquor.  
  
"Well, maybe you're not taking this seriously enough." The other rebuked, yet as he saw his partner begin another glass, he gave up the argument.  
  


*****

  
"So who are they?" Duo queried from the couch.  
  
Heero never liked being asked questions, but since those questions concerned the safety of the diplomat, he complied as best he could. "Assassins who'll do any job for the right amount of money," Heero replied nonchalantly. "They've been around since the time of the Alliance, Romefeller, and OZ."  
  
"How many?" Another question.  
  
"Including the leader, twenty-five, and all of them are as dangerous as I am." His head pivoted towards the couch and there was a serious look on his face. "They're men dead to the world, ghosts without pasts who'll take on new identities whenever threatened. If they wanted to, they could just disappear off the face of the Earth and no one would be the wiser."  
  
"Kinda like you, huh?" Duo remarked in contempt and humor.  
  
"Exactly. So imagine a whole organization full of them."  
  
Duo's grin fell off and he shuddered inwardly as a picture of twenty-five tank topped and spandex clad figures formed in his mind. Each one had the Japanese's trademark glare along with small detonators in their hands. He tried to suppress the urge to cringe but a cold sensation managed to sneak its way down his spine. "Now that's scary." His mind would've continued with that train of thought but Heero cut him short.  
  
"Trowa's informed me that Wufei and the Preventers are keeping an eye on Taylor. While I don't like that idea, their involvement might provide the necessary distraction I need to elude their watch and complete my mission."  
  
"You've spoken to Trowa?" He asked, mildly surprised that the world-renowned King of the Hermits had actually contacted someone.   
  
Heero nodded, "In fact, I'm the one who informed him of your situation."  
  
"Figures... So... have you killed anyone yet?" the youth asked seriously not wanting to know the answer, but unable to think about anything else.  
  
Heero's form slumped a bit and Duo could sense his unease. The Japanese seemed distant, concentrating all his thoughts on the carpeted floor of the German girl's house. He closed his eyes and thought back to a moment in time.  
  
_*FLASHBACK*_  
  
_The pilot tumbled out of the wreckage that was once the magnificent WingZERO, now reduced to a mere cockpit with mangled limbs. The fight with Wufei and fire from the Serpents had left him with severe cuts, bruises, burns, and a major headache. The biting cold of the snowy surrounding only served to magnify his already serious injuries. Attempting to drown out the pain, he brought up images of the girl he'd promised to protect long ago. //Relena.// His attacks on the shielded base were accurate to a fault, yet that did not guarantee that the Vice Foreign Minister would not be harmed. His limping form picked up speed, desperately searching for an entrance to the underground hideout. Of course that didn't take long considering the enormous hole in the white laden landscape caused by his twin barrel buster rifle. _  
  
_Approaching the huge gap he grew cautious, unsure of exactly how deep the darkness extended. The voices of reason and common sense grew louder inside his head yet this was not a time for doubts and second-guesses; he had a mission to complete. Taking a deep breath, he quieted his fears and leapt blindly into the darkness that eagerly swallowed him. The shadows consumed him wholly and Heero briefly wondered if it would ever end. He landed on the cold steel floor with a grace usually reserved for felines but a strength uniquely his own. He stood up, squinting at the dimly lit corridor; a light shone at the end of the tunnel. He pulled out the gun tucked in the back of his waist and held it close to his body. His control was shaky and his breath became labored, the pounding inside his head was getting louder. //What's happening? Why this? Why now? I can't lose it at a time like this; Relena's counting on me. She needs me!// With all uncertainties set aside, he dashed off in the direction of the light hoping to find Relena at the end of it._  
  
_*BANG*_  
  
_His body froze along with his heart then they began throbbing fiercely. Everything became silent and nausea threatened to overwhelm his battered body. Without a second thought, he took off in a mad run; his grip on the gun tightened, turning his knuckles white. //She's not dead. She's not dead. She's not dead. She's not dead.// He repeated, a mantra to help soothe the painful ache in his heart. //She's not dead! I won't believe it! She can't die! She can't leave me like that!// A second shot fired but his body would not allow him to stop. Once at the light's entrance he stopped, seeing a mass of blonde hair. //She's safe.// The young woman was on the ground, supporting a small body in her lap, a little girl with short red hair who seemed to be in much pain. _  
  
_With a quiet sigh, he slowly entered, drawing his gun. "I will end your suffering," he spoke firmly. The child smiled, whispering a faint 'I thank you kind sir' and he pulled the trigger. *click* The girl fainted and all eyes turned on him. "I've killed Mariemaia," he stated, "I will not kill anymore..." his voice wavered minutely, "...I don't have to..." the gun dropped from his fingers and his body shook. His eyes closed and he fell forward, succumbing to the exhaustion. The last thing he remembered were warm arms wrapping around him, providing comfort, warmth, and safety. His head leaned in the direction of her faint, pleasing scent wanting to drown in it. For the first time in years he was at peace, lulled to sleep by her beautiful, soothing voice._  
  
_*END FLASHBACK*_  
  
Heero looked up, dispelling the memories. The promise he made that day was something he could never take back; he meant what he had said and he'd do everything in his power to keep it. "... No..." he finally spoke, almost afraid of his own voice, "It hasn't come to that yet."  
  


*****

  
The night wore on and the bar took on a lethargic feel, the ceiling fan spun at a slow and idle rate. The two assassins were still on the stools brooding over their drinks, "I hope he's not a spy," Chris confessed, peering closely at the shot glass, "I really don't want to kill him. He may be unsociable and difficult to talk and hold a conversation with, but he has talent... besides, good assassins are so hard to come by these days."  
  
"That's just it!" Marcus declared, "He hasn't killed anyone yet! All he's managed to do so far is wound and disable our targets." The man calmed and shifted into a more comfortable position. "In training, he holds nothing back, fighting as if it's his last day on Earth, but out in the field he hesitates."  
  
"Maybe he's just scared," the shorter man offered, contemplating the situation, "taking a life is always a difficult thing to get used to, especially for those new to the killing."  
  
The brunette disagreed, "The way he fights... he's not green... he's killed before... I imagine many. I see it in his eyes... he's afraid of something..."  
  
"Well," he offered, "in many cases when one has taken so many lives, the blood no longer washes off. Guilt is a powerful weapon; it can turn the most experienced killer into a bawling child," he grinned wickedly, "I'm just glad I don't have that problem."  
  
"I don't either," he replied in a cold tone, "but he just might."  
  
"What are you going to do? You can't kill him outright; it could turn out that he was clean all along. Plus," he smiled wickedly, "how will the boss take to you killing off one of his best men?"  
  
"I honestly don't know. The only thing I can manage to do is keep an eye on him and I suggest you do the same." He waved at the bartender, rose out of his seat and laid a few credits on the counter. "C'mon, we'd better get going and see if we can find out where he went."  
  


*****

  
"Hey, Heero, tell me why you're against Preventer involvement?" Duo queried, getting up from his seat. "I would've imagined that you'd be thrilled since you'd get more help?"  
  
"I'm not saying that the Preventers are useless but this mission is different. They may have the numbers, but none of them have the necessary training required to handle Todesengel with the exception of Wufei. If they get mixed up with that organization all they'll accomplish is having their men killed. The Preventers have no idea who they're dealing with; they're dangerous, more so than you could ever imagine. It was months before I even found an any evidence of their existence; do you think the Preventers can do any better?"  
  
"C'mon Heero, no one is unstoppable; with your help I'm sure they'll be able to take them down and put those guys away for good."  
  
"You don't know what it was like being with them; they're people who shouldn't be trifled with!" Heero spat out furiously; his body quivered and he inserted all his will to repress the images of things that took place inside Todesengel. A noise from the bedroom hallway snapped him back to the present and he was overcome with alarm. "Look," he began, "I'll let the Preventers do whatever they want for now, but if they get too close for their own good, I'm going to do something about it. I'll contact you if and when you're close to being discovered. Until then, keep her safe." With that he made a nosedive for the door, but was stopped when Duo's hand grabbed his forearm.  
  
"Where do you think you're going!?" Duo seethed. _//Do you think you can get away that easily?//_ "If you haven't figured it out by now, Relena cares a lot about you and as much as you'd like to deny it, you care about her too." He chuckled offhandedly, "I can't imagine why she does though seeing as how you're never there for her."  
  
Heero's eye's narrowed, "Let go." There was no room for arguments.  
  
"Dammit, Heero! How can you be so cold?" His fists clenched around his comrade's arm but the other didn't even flinch.  
  
"I have to be," he stated in his normal frigid way, glaring with the coldest eyes that the mechanic had ever seen.  
  
"Look," Duo sighed, loosening his grip on the agent, "can't you stay for a little while longer? She needs to know that you're alive at least."  
  
"Duo, are you still out there?" Relena called from the corridor.  
  
The mechanic tilted his head in her direction and shouted, "Yeah, I'm still here!" When he turned back he was met with empty space, no sign of the Japanese anywhere. "Dammit," he cursed, striking at the wall and wishing it were the cold youth. He managed to compose himself when he heard soft footsteps enter the living room.  
  
"I heard voices; was there someone here?" she came into view. The youth looked up and he saw that she was wearing light blue shorts and button-down shirt.  
  
"Uh," Duo hesitated with the answer; he didn't want to lie but imagined that she wouldn't like hearing that Heero left because he didn't want to see her. "Uh, well... I was just talking to Wufei," it wasn't a total lie since the Chinese youth had been there not too long ago. "He just came by to drop off a few things we might need in the following days."  
  
"Wufei? Well, how come he didn't stay longer, I would've liked to say 'Hi'."  
  
The mechanic racked his head, trying to remember his earlier conversation with the Preventer. "Ya see... he had to check in with Sally although, before he left, he did ask about your well being."  
  
"Wufei said that? Are you sure we're talking about the same guy here? The last I heard, he said that he didn't approve of me."  
  
"Times change and so do people. Wufei's a different person now; he's made his peace. You should see him, even the women at Preventer HQ get along with him."  
  
"Whoa..." Her eyes went wide; it was a scene too hard to imagine.  
  
"Yeah, I felt the same way when Sally told me, I was actually speechless."  
  
"I don't think that's possible. The day Duo Maxwell is left speechless is the day when I embrace war and violence." She stopped in her teasing when she saw Duo getting ready to pounce on her. "Eep," she squeaked and made ready to run, but Duo was already on her, tickling her.  
  


*****

  
The dark shadow stood outside the house, gazing through the drawn curtains at the blurred figures inside, his heart aching. He heard the muffled laughter and wished he could've been the person in there making the girl laugh, making her as happy as she sounded. Yet despite his longing, he knew it could never be; destiny had other plans for them. He cared about her, but he was too intertwined with war to ever escape it completely and he didn't want her tainted with it. After the war, she'd helped him salvage the remains of his humanity and he'd been grateful. Then, when the Century Discovery firm tried to kidnap her; he promised that whoever her enemies may be, he'd be there to protect her. Turning around, he silently made his way down the streets.  
  
Everything he did was to spare others from the pain he'd suffered growing up during the time of OZ and the Alliance. Pain. It wasn't something he was unfamiliar with, but one could only take so much in one lifetime. How long was his lifetime going to be? How much more misery was he to undergo before it all became too much and his body and mind would say 'no more'. But, despite all that, he had a mission to fulfill and no matter what others would say they were the primary goals in his life. The situation called not for the person he wanted to be, normal, but for the soldier he was trained to be, unwavering.  
  
He thought back to all those times he'd watched over the diplomat, protecting her from the shadows. She'd done so much to help repair the lives of everyone else that she'd neglected her own well being. Yet as much as he wanted to be the one to comfort her, he just didn't know how. He'd suppressed his emotions for so long, training to be the 'Perfect Soldier' that he no longer knew what actions to take. Only just now was he learning how to express the feelings that weren't tied with destruction, but he truly wanted her to be happy. Happiness on his part would be difficult; instead, he opted to help the diplomat achieve her happiness._ //For all that you've done, I have yet to find a means to repay you. For now, let me be your shadow, let me stay by your side just a little while longer.// _  
  


*****

  
"So do you give up?" Duo teased. Only when the girl took back her words did he relent in his torture. With a sigh, he fell back onto the couch, taking the girl with him, a squeak of protest came but was quickly replaced with peels of laughter. They sat there for a moment before Duo remembered something that came to mind. "So, 'Jousan," he said, looking down on the lithe form in his arms, "what was it you wanted to ask me?"  
  
Relena blushed remembering what she had wanted to ask of him earlier. Averting her eyes from Duo's she began playing nervously with the edge of her nightshirt. "Well..." her voice trailed off.   
  
"C'mon, 'Jousan, what is it?" Duo leaned in to try and hear her words. _//Hm, maybe she's gonna tell me that she's fallen madly in love with me and that she wants a kiss. ::You've got to be kiddin' right? Do you hear yourself? I know you're insane and all but this takes the cake! Sure you're devilishly handsome with a great sense of humor and in the past two days you've grown quite close to her, but c'mon! She's been in love with suicide boy for nearly five years now! Where do you think you stand in there? Nowhere!:: Geez, talk about being brutally honest! You really know how to shoot a man's pride down; can't you ease up a bit? ::When you become a man I'll show you more respect, but until then you still need a good boot in the behind!:: *sigh* I guess you're right... but you never know...//_  
  
"Play with you're hair!" Relena blurted, snapping the young man out of his trance. Duo was left speechless; he blinked once, twice, two more times and finally his mouth fell open.  
  
"Y-Y-You want to what?!" he stuttered, unable to grasp the girl's statement.  
  
"Play with your hair. You see, Duo, when I was younger, I never really had a chance to play with dolls, dressing them up and fixing their hair. Well, when I first met you I noticed how long and pretty-" She was stopped short when the mechanic placed his hand over her mouth, silencing her.  
  
"Okay, now stop there," he said firmly, "You never, never, and I mean never use that word to describe any part of a guy. You can use the words handsome, cool, nice, manly, and good looking, but pretty is off limits. Got that?"  
  
"Um... okay... Well, since you have such nice hair," she started once more omitting the word 'pretty', "I was wondering if you would be my doll for awhile?" she looked up with puppy dogs eyes and the youth had to divert his gaze or be swallowed up by those ocean blues.  
  
"Uh..." He wavered, unsure of what actions to take._ //What am I supposed to say? ::What are you waiting for BAKA!? Say no! Our pride is at stake here! I will not allow you to subject us to such humiliations just for the sake of that girl's amusement! Do you hear me!:: Oh shut up! I'm going to do this and that'll be the end of it, besides... she needs this.//_ He smiled down at the girl, "Sure, 'Jousan."  
  
The girl couldn't believe her ears; he actually agreed. She clasped her hands together, smiling brightly, "Really? Oh, thank you so much, Duo! You don't know how much this means to me," Relena reeled forward and embraced Duo in a warm, tight hug trying to convey all her gratitude and appreciation. "I'm going to get some stuff but I'll be right back," she let go and gleefully bounced off the couch and towards the bedroom.  
  
Duo settled on the sofa, crossing his legs and sprawling his arms on its head. In Relena's absence, he was bombarded by the voices in his head. _//::What have you done?! How could you do this to us?:: C'mon how bad could it be?//_ At that moment the girl in question bounded into he room, a brush, hand mirror, ribbons, and rubber bands in her possession. The smile on her face set aside some doubts and fear, but they also inspired some new ones as well. At that moment a chill ran down his spine and he wondered if it was too late to high tail it out of there and run for the hills._ //Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. ::Maybe? Maybe?! You fool! What have you gotten us into!? Oh for the love of Shinigami, someone save me!:: *GULP*//_  
  
"Turn around," the girl instructed, waiting until the youth moved, sitting cross-legged with his back to her, before getting on the couch. She positioned herself behind him, but stopped with her activity when she sensed his nervousness. Settling a hand on his shoulder, she reassured him that all would be all right and to trust her in her tasks. The gesture eased his tension and he leaned into that warm touch. Once he was settled she began her work by removing the rubber band on his braid, after which she began separating the three ropes that made it up. Before Duo knew it Relena was already brushing his hair, amazed at how soft those chestnut colored strands were.   
  
Relena's gentle brushstrokes felt like soft caresses and although Duo had protested it earlier, he quickly succumbed to the small pleasure. Not since the time at Maxwell church with sister Helen had someone given him this much attention. He loved it and dreamed of what it would be like if the girl did this for him every night; his schedule never allowed him the time to bestow his hair with much consideration. "Hey, 'Jousan," Duo piped up, "how come you said you'd never done anything like this before?"  
  
"Well," she began still brushing, "my childhood was a busy one; every time my father went into space I had to follow him so I had no time for dolls."  
  
"What about your friends?" he queried concentrating on the movements of her hands, "Heero once told me you had this flock of girls following you around everywhere when he was at St. Gabriel's, weren't they your friends?"  
  
"Well..." she started quietly, "in a way they were my friends, but it wasn't always so. My childhood was very lonely; Pagan was the only one I truly called my friend. When I started attending St. Gabriel's the students there didn't care much for me and left me alone; I didn't mind it all that much but no one likes to be alone. You could imagine how I felt when they started talking to me; I loved it," she confessed. "They weren't all that bad, quite nice in fact, even if it was just because of my father. Since he was the Vice Foreign Minister for the Alliance they saw me in the same light, placing me on a pedestal too high for me. Because we were very affluent, they wanted to be connected with us, believing that they could benefit from our status. The rich only associate with the rich... So," she exclaimed with renewed vigor, "to answer your question; yes, they were my friends... just not very good ones."  
  


*****

  
Walking through the night, Heero pulled his coat tighter around himself despite the colony's moderate climate. His cold, analytical mind calculating and drawing up battle plans with inhuman speed. Boundaries had been set as to what those plans could entail, but instead of hampering his progress it sped it up. He easily discarded the tactics that overstepped them but soon realized that for the task at hand he would require some assistance. The only problem was where to acquire that help. Wufei was out the question; although he was once a fellow Gundam pilot, he was now a Preventer. As soon as he turned his back, Wufei would have the Preventers by his side in no time. There were few people in this life that Heero fully trusted, the last being a man named Odin Lowe. When he was just a boy, the man adopted him, becoming his mentor and guardian, teaching him how to survive and get revenge on OZ. His death left Heero without a guide; told to follow emotions he knew nothing about.  
  
The only other one who commanded such trust from him was the former pilot of Heavyarms: Trowa Barton. The tall stoic boy had been his ally during the war and in the past their partnership had always bore fruitful results. Of all the pilots, he trusted Trowa the most, their similar upbringing and knowledge in warfare assured Heero that Trowa would do what was best. So much alike, they knew and predicted each other's moves and thoughts, acting in accordance to them. Both trained from early childhood to be 'Perfect Soldiers', they were the ones who knew what it was like to take countless lives. Their past would always be three steps behind, haunting them in their sleep, bringing forth memories they wanted buried; only in death would they ever find peace. In Trowa Heero had found a partner who could be just as ruthless when the time called for it and time was running out; he was left with no other options. The night enclosed him and he made his way in the direction of the circus. Yes, he would call upon the stoic young man once again; there was no one else.  
  


*****

  
"N-N-Nani!!??" Duo choked as he stared into hand mirror. The image that stared back was a boy with two braids on each side of his head, framing his heart shaped face.  
  
"So, Duo, what do you think? You like it?" Relena asked, happy with her work.  
  
The mechanic turned his head and gave her a look that bordered on insanity; in the back of his mind he wondered if she had been teasing when she asked that question. His eyes twitched along with his fingers and he tried to be as articulate as he could with his words. "I-I-I... I look like I'm about to deliver a picnic basket to Grandma's house!" With an indignant expression, he crossed his arms over his chest and huffed, "Next!"  
  


*****

  
  
Duo blinked once, then twice, then a third time as he stared at the reflection in the mirror. The person on the other end couldn't be him, it just couldn't. There was no way that that youth was him, the best mechanic on L2, Shinigami, the God of Death, the honored and revered hero of the Eve Wars. There was just no way they could be the same person.   
  
"Duo, are you all right?"  
  
"... I've got a pair of puffballs on my head!" He wailed, flailing his arms wildly about, dramatically. Relena patted his shoulders, apologizing over and over again. Duo suddenly pointed to his head and there looked to be tears at the corner of his eyes, "Change it please!"  
  


*****

  
"......"  
  
"Duo?" Relena's voice quivered with fear and she nudged the body in front of her. "Duo, say something," she pleaded, wondering what was ailing the youth.  
  
"... I..." he began with a confused voice, "... I look like you... Why?" It was true; the youth slightly resemble the girl, his hair had been done in the same fashion as the diplomat when she had been younger and off chasing Gundam pilots. He could have been mistaken for a girl, but his sharp facial angles definitely labeled him as male. He began to sniffle and he drew up his knees, burying his head in his arms. "For the sake of all that's pure and holy in this universe... How could you do this to me!? That's it, now it's my turn."  
  


*****

  
As the night wore on, Duo continued his ministrations on Relena's hair, wondering how he could receive so much pleasure in such a simple act. His hands glided through golden silk and he gave himself over to the task. "Duo, why do you call me that?" Relena suddenly questioned, snapping him from his thoughts.  
  
"Call you what, 'Jousan?" Duo asked while continuing to work her hair, he laid down the brush to stick a few bobby pins in her hair.  
  
"That," she pointed out, tilting her head to gaze up at him, "Why do you call me Ojousan?"  
  
"Why do you ask?" His hands stopped, "You don't like it?"  
  
"No, it's not that," she reassured leaning back against Duo's chest. "It's just that... Well, I know that it means 'Miss', but we've known each other for some time now, right? So I don't think you need to keep calling me that."  
  
The mechanic chuckled and he resumed his task. "You see, to me 'Miss' means a young lady who's refined, intelligent, charming, sweet, and beautiful. From what I can see, you have all those qualities and more; in my book, you're the epitome of what a lady should be." Relena's blush went unnoticed and Duo went on. "But Ojousan can also mean honorable daughter."  
  
"Honorable daughter?" she questioned, turning around again to look into his face and possibly decipher his meaning.  
  
"Uh huh," he said, nodding his head he placed a finger on her cheek and directed her head into its original position. "When the war ended I assumed you would just go back to your fancy life as an ordinary girl; I knew it would be difficult after that whole Queen of the world thing but... I just thought that was how it was supposed to be, you know, everything going back to normal. I never expected you to take your father's position as the Vice Foreign Minister."  
  
"I had no choice."  
  
"There is always a choice," he reprimanded, "You could have gone back to the life you've always had before the war, before the Gundams... but you didn't. By choosing that path you gave up your chance at normalcy... and possibly happiness... At first I thought you were just being irrational and foolish, but when I saw what a good affect you had on this world, I realized you had made that decision long before the war ended." He sighed and smiled at the girl in front of him. "It was an admirable thing to do; honoring your father that way. From that moment on I couldn't see you in any other way... but you probably think that I'm crazy."  
  
"... I don't think that... and I'm very flattered that you think so highly of me... I don't deserve such praise..."  
  
"You're too modest for your own good... Done!" he shouted with much pride, edging back to admire his handiwork. Her hair had been separated in half, both sides braided, then twining around her head so that they formed a circle._ //Perfect! A beautiful angel needs a halo. My angel... my Ojousan...//_  
  
"Ahhhh," Relena yawned, stretching out her slender limbs. Like a little child, she rubbed her eyes, trying to chase away the sleep that was fast approaching.  
  
"Well, I guess that means we should call it a night, ne?" Duo joked, but his expression became serious when he felt Relena tense under his touch. _//She's still scared...//_ "Don't worry, they won't try anything while I'm here; I'll protect you." Reassured be his words, the girl got up from the couch, said a quiet 'Good night'. Duo stared at her retreating form with sad eyes, wishing he could do more for her. "Oyasumi... Ojousan."  
  


  
-to be continued-  
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Well, it wasn't how I wanted it but I guess it'll have to do considering what poor memory I have. The fic has the gist of what the original contained, the detail is another matter entirely.   



	7. Close Allies, Closer Enemies

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are the property of Sotsu, Sunrise, TV Asahi, Bandai, etc. I don't own any part of it and I'm not making any money out of it either. This is purely for entertainment purposes, nothing more and nothing less.   
  
Warnings: Mild language and violence. 2+R fic.  
  
A.N: I know a lot of you guys are getting tired of how slow this story is moving. Well, from this point on, things are gonna start speeding up. I'm well aware a lot of you are annoyed at me for all my delays but it's not like I always have time to do this and I've recently had my computer taken away from me. Yeah, yeah, go ahead and flame me about my incompetence, I really don't care. I go at my own pace but I also try not to neglect those who appreciate my fics and the majority of the time, I write for those people.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 7: Close Allies, Closer Enemies  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*  
  
No answer.  
  
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*  
  
No answer.  
  
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*  
  
*Click* "......." A sleep-eyed and bewildered Trowa opened the door to his trailer only to find the Japanese youth standing there with his usual greeting glare. The tall young man remained still, gazing through half-raised lids at the intruder, "...... Why do you insist on visiting me at these ungodly hours?" He yawned and scratched his stomach under his green pajamas, not look happy one bit for being wakened. "Couldn't this wait until dawn? It's only another half hour *yawn*."  
  
"We need to talk now," Heero commanded rather than asked, but that was how he usually approached things. He didn't care much for the clown's current state, he could be wearing his sister's performance costume and the Japanese youth would still be adorning his professional mask.  
  
"So talk," the half awakened man yawned again, rubbing his tired eyes with the sleeves of his pajama shirt.  
  
Heero glared at him, then looked past the performer into the trailer. He saw Catherine still asleep in her bed on the other side of Trowa's then returned his gaze to the youth. "Privately," he stated firmly. He waited in a standing face-off with the former Heavyarms pilot, neither budging an inch nor blinking; it seemed as if the two would stay that way forever.  
  
"... Trowa... *yawn*... Will you close the door? It's cold," Catherine's drowsy voice broke the tension and the two snapped back into attention. With that little dispute settled, Trowa quietly closed the trailer door behind him and followed the forever mission oriented human alarm clock.  
  


*****

  
_//She looks so at ease just sleeping there... Maybe I shouldn't wake her up, she could really use the extra hours...//_ A small smile played on Duo's lips as he leaned on the doorway of Hilde's room. Unlike the other day, he never had much of a chance to gaze upon the slumbering maiden, preoccupied with making breakfast. The light from the outside broke through slivers in the curtains, falling on the girl and highlighting her already beautiful features. For a moment the youth thought about giving up on the idea of getting her and The Frigid One together and keep her all to himself. Yet as tempting as that idea sounded he just couldn't help but feel guilty for doing something so underhanded. _//Of course, it's not like he cares about what happens to her; I mean, he's the one who left her in the first place. ::Now you know that's not true. If Suicide Boy didn't give a damn, do you think he would've gone through all this trouble? You saw it in his eyes last night, he cares about her a lot and I think he always has. You can't be the one to decide who should get whom; it's not up to you, now is it?:: I know you're right, but that doesn't mean I'm going to give up without a fight. ::Who said you had to. We're Shinigami here! If we have to go down, why not go down with a bang?:: Well, I think it's about time to wake up sleeping beauty... Maybe I can do it the way it was done in the fairy tale...//_  
  
Duo strolled over to the bed, taking time to study her delicate features. He stopped when he reached the side of the mattress and his hands reached out to brush aside her blonde bangs. His eyes softened at her peaceful and unguarded expression, his hands tenderly caressing her cheeks. Slowly he kneeled on the floor, reaching over and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. The girl's eyes slowly fluttered open and she stretched her arms in a cat-like motion before rolling over to face the grinning mechanic. "Ohayou, Princess."  
  
"That's Vice Foreign Minister, not Princess," she corrected, smiling as she looked adoringly at the handsome youth.  
  
"Why don't you go wash up while I get breakfast ready? What would you like this morning?" He queried, resting his head atop his folded arms.  
  
She removed the covers of the bed and her slender hands banished the last traces of sleep from her eyes. "Hm, how about some omelets?" He nodded in agreement and headed for the door, only leaving after he snuck in a second glance. Relena sat on the bed for another minute before willing herself up, her feet found the slippers on the floor and she started for the bathroom.  
  
"Oi, 'Jousan!" Duo called from the end of the hallway, "Make sure to be careful when you're coming into the living room, I haven't deactivated the alarm system yet. I think I'm going to leave it on for a little while longer just until I make sure that the area's safe."  
  
"Okay, I will!"  
  


*****

  
"I can't leave them," Trowa stated, putting down his mug of coffee on the table. The two were sitting on one of the many picnic benches that littered the circus grounds, engaged in a discussion over Heero's plan.  
  
"There's no other way. I need you. I can't trust the others; besides, they have their own missions," Heero reasoned gruffly, penetrating the gaze of the other and hoping he could intimidate the clown into agreeing with him. Of course that worked about as well as trying to intimidate a large, immovable rock; the two had about the same emotional capacity.  
  
"Can you guarantee their safety?" The answer would determine the outcome of Trowa's response and Heero knew that all too well.  
  
"... No, but I'm certain they won't come here. I've told them to stay away and if they value their lives, they'll obey my orders," he answered in his confident monotone.  
  
"... Do you really need my help? You were usually able to do these missions by yourself in the past," Trowa remarked, staring down at his mug, letting its warmth seep into his cold hands.  
  
Strange how things usually turn out, he'd promised himself before that he would no longer kill; yet as the days wore on, he knew the vow could not be kept. Yes, killing is wrong, but sometimes it was the only option left when one is thrown into a corner. The only way to correct that situation was to make sure he wasn't going to be thrown into such a corner, in order to do that he needed an ally. "Those missions concerned OZ; these people are not OZ. They're men trained to kill, not pilot; they're like us, but without restraints and empathy." Looking up, their eyes locked and Trowa saw that Heero was pleading with him; this mission was beyond the efforts of one man, no matter how skilled he was.  
  
His gaze dropped and the taller man nodded; the terms had been accepted, Heero had gained himself a partner. "Thank you," Heero murmured, quiet but not lacking in gratitude.  
  
"What will I tell them?" Trowa spoke up as Heero raised himself off the bench.  
  
"... Tell them nothing if you want; it doesn't matter what you say," he mentally berated himself for how cold the statement came out; if he wanted to keep his partner he was going to have to ease off those unsociable manners. "... You'd better get dressed, there's no telling what they're up to now. Taylor already knows that Relena's still alive and he'll probably want this matter taken care of as soon as possible."  
  
Trowa nodded and left the bench with no further questions asked, heading towards his trailer to get dressed and bid his sister goodbye. Heero saw his quiet actions and silently thanked him once again; that's what he appreciated most about the former Heavyarms pilot, understanding without questions. He knew it was hard for the young man to leave his family unguarded like so; they had become the main reason for him to keep on living these past years. Those green eyes would light up every time his sister or one of the other circus members laughed, sang, danced, or just enjoyed their life; those people were giving him things that he'd been long denied during the Alliance's reign. They were filling up the void caused by violence and killing, they were chasing away his nightmares, giving him something to dream about; they were giving him love. No man in his right mind would give up something as precious as that. _//But I gave that up... so what does that mean? ::You're still a boy learning how to feel. Someday you will discover what it's like to embrace your emotions and not be afraid of what's waiting around the corner:: I'm not afraid... not for myself anyway...//_  
  
Trowa quietly made his way inside and found his sister still asleep; the corners of his mouth curved upwards slightly. With practiced skill, he noiselessly stole away to his drawer and picked out a change of clothes: his customary jeans, a black-buttoned shirt, and a long jacket draped over a nearby chair. Glancing over his shoulders to the sleeping form, he reached further into the drawer to a secret compartment where he retrieved a gun. Rapidly, he dressed, getting into his jeans and shirt, buttoning and zipping swiftly; that left the gun. Eyeing the object for another minute he sighed and tucked in into the back of his waistband, immediately covering it with his long jacket. The only thing left on the itinerary was to say goodbye; it pained him to do so but he managed somehow. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, whispering, "Goodbye Cathy, I'll be out for awhile, don't wait up for me." Then he was gone along with the Japanese youth who stood patiently outside the door.  
  


*****

  
Relena stepped into the living room after having taken a shower, dressed in a pair of shorts and a plaid shirt. She was surprised to find Duo sitting on the couch, two plates of omelets on the coffee table. "Hey, Duo, why, aren't you eating in the kitchen?"  
  
He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head, "Well, remember our food fight the other night? Uh... it's still there."  
  
She slapped her forehead and groaned, "Oh no! I completely forgot about that!" She plopped down next to Duo and made a grab for her plate. "Oh well, guess it can wait 'til later," she exclaimed, shoving a forkful of breakfast into her mouth.  
  
"N-Nani?!" Duo's mouth hung open; he was astonished beyond mere words. He'd always known her as someone who never put things off when they could be done and over with right away. "What did you just say?! You don't say things like that. Are you feeling okay?"  
  
She laughed heartily, almost unable to keep the food from spraying onto him. "You see what a bad influence you are to me, Maxwell," she remarked, pointing her fork in his direction. "I mean, it hasn't even been three full days yet and already your idleness is starting to rub off on me."  
  
"Oi! You can't blame me for that! It wasn't as if you were protesting it or anything!" Duo scoffed indignantly, putting food into his mouth as well. "Well," he lightened up, "since you're beginning to act so much like me, then I guess you wouldn't mind watching some morning cartoons, huh?"  
  
"Nah," she drawled out, "I wouldn't mind at all. It's been about... Oh, I'd say twelve years since I last watched morning cartoons."  
  
"You're joking, right?" Duo choked out. _//Man! I thought I had a deprived childhood. Exactly where did you grow up, 'Jousan? A monastery?//_  
  


*****

  
After having debated the situation, the two stoic youths decided that the safest way to get to Hilde's home was by using the alleys. It had been the route Trowa had used when he had made his trek to the drop off supplies and information to Duo and Relena. Using the streets would attract unwanted attention, especially if there were people who knew or recognized the clown. Along with that, Heero's subordinates wouldn't take kindly to it if they happened to see him in the company of a well-known former Gundam pilot. The morning air was cold and the local businesses were starting to open up their shops.   
  
_//He still looks tense and worried... maybe it wasn't such a good idea, recruiting him to assist me.//_ Heero thought as he walked through the alleys with Trowa to his right.  
  
"Don't worry about me. I agreed to help you and that is what I'll do," he stated emotionlessly, aware of what the other had been thinking of. "Besides, when Heero Yuy goes asking for help, it usually means that task is of profound difficulty, right?" he smiled down at his companion, loosening the tension that had built up during the journey.  
  
"Thanks, Trowa," Heero replied, "but I really am sorry for having disrupted your life. I see the way you are around them and I know it must have been hard for you to leave them, especially Catherine." He looked up and offered his apologies.  
  
The taller man was silent, contemplating the turn of events, "There is nothing to be sorry about. I love them, yes, but I cannot ignore the danger this organization poses either." His words rang out sharply in Heero's ears and the other listened with much interest. "Like you, I do realize that Relena is the key to keeping the Colonies and the Earth in a state of peace. If she were to be assassinated, it would be just like that incident with the former leader of the Colonies, Heero Yuy. I love my family too much to allow something so deplorable to transpire. I will do all I can to keep them from suffering."  
  
The Japanese man deliberated those words, "... I wish I were able to love others like you do," he confessed, ashamed for harboring such weak feelings of loneliness and inadequacy. "I still have yet to know what it's like to care for someone so unconditionally..."  
  
"What of Relena?" Trowa mused. "As I recall, you seemed to hold a special affinity towards her," he reminded the other, a small smile on his lips.  
  
"... I can't taint her life with the blood on my hands," he whispered. In his twenty years of life, the former Gundam pilot had acquired many enemies, some still out there looking for him, and he wanted Relena to be nowhere near it. He'd never forgive himself if she'd taken a bullet meant for him, knowing that in the future such an event would be commonplace.  
  
"I still have blood on my hands as well, Heero," the taller man stated, memories of the war coming to the forefront of his mind. "I never wanted them involved, but they never gave up in their quest to make me a part of their family. Loving someone also means allowing the other to decide whether or not they want to love you as well. Catherine and the others have accepted my past and for better of worse they love me in spite of that. If you love her, you have to allow her to decide what she wants to do. Ignoring her and disappearing into thin air is not the solution."  
  
_//He's probably right on this one... I can't just ignore her for the rest of my life... Ryoukai.//_ He turned his head to examine the streets and make sure they were still on the right path. The sidewalk was starting to crowd with people making it difficult to discern what area they were in, yet it wasn't enough to hide the image of a familiar black car. His mind froze, realizing that the vehicle was headed in the same direction they were. He signaled for Trowa to stop and immediately pulled out his cell phone. It took them two rings before they answered and he proceeded to pump them for info. "Where are you two right now?" He asked calmly, showing no hints of agitation or worry.  
  
"Sir? We could ask you the same thing," came the voice of the blond man.  
  
"I'm not in a joking mood right now. What's your location?" he commanded more firmly.  
  
"Well, we got a tip last night from one of that Gundam pilot's friends. They say he's probably at his partner's place, house sitting for her. We're going to check on it right now."  
  
"I understand," Heero acknowledged grimly, flipping the device off. He took a deep breath, reached into his coat pocket and pulled out another cell phone. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it to his partner and informed him of the situation. "They've discovered Relena's whereabouts. We have to get there now. If we should arrive at the same time they do-"  
  
"Then you're the enemy again," Trowa finished, understanding that the Japanese could not give away his cover just yet.  
  
"If that's the case, you can contact me with that. My number is on speed dial one." With nothing more to discuss they took off in a mad run, utilizing the short cuts Trowa discovered the other day to quicken their journey. They were no match for the car, but then again they had an advantage; they didn't have traffic lights to hinder them. _//I'm coming Relena.//_  
  


*****

  
"What did he want?" the tall brunette asked.  
  
"Just to know where we're headed. I guess he wants to meet us there," he pondered, taking out his gun to check its condition.  
  
"I thought he would've been the one to locate them first," Marcus spat offhandedly. "After all that talk about being able to do this mission by himself, he hasn't even found them yet. Humph, I think the boss made a mistake assigning him as the leader."  
  
His partner leaned back and chuckled, "You sound like you want his job."  
  
"I wouldn't mind getting it," he joked, turning another corner.  
  


*****

  
The morning dragged on and the Chinese agent was thoroughly agitated. The argument he had last night with Sally Po was really beginning to irk him. Leave it up to the woman to get the man frustrated; she seemed to be the only one who could do so. "Damned onna," he cursed, "How dare she blame me for this! It's not my fault that she expects me to check in with her at a regularly given basis! If she had told me that staying with them were more important than I would have done so." He kicked a nearby can and buried his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Baka na! The least she could have done was offer to send me more money. The amount they gave me barely covered the shuttle expenses and the hotel costs."  
  
He sighed to himself and stopped at the street corner. "Hm, at least I'm making good time. At this rate I'll be there soon... and maybe I can get something to eat there as well... For Kami-sama's sake, didn't they know food prices were starting to go up? It was all over the news so how it managed to fly over their heads, I don't know." His stomach growled and he shot it a deadly look. "Stop being so weak," he scolded the organ. "We've been through worse so don't you dare get soft on me!" _//I swear, they're all playing some kind of joke on me.// _He cursed his absent partner once more and pushed through the growing crowd of people, keeping his eyes wide open should he see someone he recognized as either enemy or ally.  
  


*****

  
"How much further?" Heero asked; his shades were back on and the only thing on his mind was his destination.  
  
"About two more blocks; we might make it," Trowa called over his shoulders. "Do you see them?"  
  
Cocking his head to the side, the man glanced at the passing streets. "No, but I imagine they're close as well." He turned back to the stoic youth, "Another thing, which way are we entering the house, front or back?"  
  
Trowa gave the question a second of consideration before promptly answering. "We'll know when we get there. The back might take longer, but the front is wired with all those security devices you told me to give Duo. Knowing him, they might still be activated and if we set them off, then I can guarantee that your 'assistants' will find us." A trashcan suddenly fell into his path, but his quick reflexes allowed him to jump over it with ease. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a brown and white cat jump out from the overturned object._ //I'm getting too paranoid about this. They don't know where we are so there's nothing to get worked up about.//_  
  
Rounding another corner, they were suddenly out of the dark alleyways, the colony's light blinding them momentarily. With renewed hopes, they began hopping over the neighborhood fences, utilizing the backyards of the local residences to get to their destination. Ripping through trees and bushes, they blazed a pathway, taking no heed of those in their way. It was all a matter of who would get there first and they were determined to be the first. Within another minute, the German girl's house came into view and the two quickened their pace. With his mind made up, Trowa headed towards the back of the house so he could enter from the kitchen door. Heero knew his choice and proceeded to follow but a black form in the distance caught his eye. "They're here!" he shouted and Trowa nodded his acknowledgement. This time round, the tall youth didn't bother with knocks or greetings, he just kicked through the door and ran for the living room.  
  
"What the-" came Duo's initial reaction to the entire scene, "Trowa!?"  
  
Relena, on the other hand, was too surprised by the sudden intrusion to mouth any words of shock or outrage. Her eyes went wide as she centered her gaze on the man accompanying Trowa. Her face went blank as if she'd seen a ghost; her mind working to decipher which person from her past this phantom resembled. "Hee-"  
  
"We have to get out of here!" Trowa yelled, drawing out his gun. "You've been discovered!" He cocked his head, seeing Heero run up to the door, pulling out his own firearm.  
  
"How the hell did that happen!?" Duo shouted, reaching under the sofa cushions to feel for the gun he'd hidden there. Once his hands made contact with the cold metal, he pulled it out and unlatched the safety, holding it close to his body as he reached for Relena's hand.  
  
"They're here!" The Japanese youth shouted, turning his attention towards the stoic entertainer. "Trowa!" With that cue, the taller man ran towards him and ran his fist into Heero's stomach then proceeded to deck him across his face. The grim agent staggered slightly before losing his footing, falling right through the front door, triggering the alarms. Once he got up he raised his gun and began shooting at the space around his three friends.  
  
"What's going on?" Relena pleaded, confused by all the chaos that had suddenly developed. There were bullets flying everywhere; Trowa was shooting at the brown-haired man while the other shot at all three of them. Strange that none of the bullets seemed to be connecting with anything else save for Hilde's furniture and wall.  
  
"C'mon, 'Jousan!" Duo yelled, taking hold of her hand and pulling her towards the kitchen. "I think this is our cue to high tail it outta here." He looked back at Trowa then at the other firing at them and everything clicked into place._ //Geez, the way he's carrying on with the whole thing, I actually have a hard time believing he was on our side. But how the hell did those guys figure out we were here? Damn! This means Heero won't be able to help us; not with his 'buddies' around him.// _Through the hail of ammunition, he found his way to the back and out the door.  
  
"Where are we going, Duo?" Relena questioned, covering her head with her free arm while her other hand had a death grip on Duo's._ //That person in there... it couldn't have been... could it? It sounded like him, but why would he be here? Why did Trowa hit him? More importantly, why is he shooting at us?// _She swiveled her head to see if she could catch a glimpse of him but a bullet hitting the kitchen wall made her turn away. _//Those clothes he was wearing... Heero doesn't wear those types of clothes... not when he doesn't have to... So, if he's dressed like that... it means that he's on a mission. Was he sent to protect me... or was he sent to kill me?//_ Heero's 'Omae o korosu' rang through her ears as tears welled up in her eyes.  
  


*****

  
"What the hell..." Wufei gasped, hearing the alarms and gunfire. He stood motionless on the sidewalk a few houses down from Hilde's staring in wonder at what was happening. He pivoted his head and saw a familiar brown braid swinging in the wind along with honey blonde hair and sped off to follow them. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted yet another figure with spiky brown hair dressed in a suit, shooting a gun. Off the top of his mind he recalled the people present at the bombing of Maxwell's shop. Then again, the image of a gruff, Japanese pilot also came to mind and he briefly wondered if it was just his imagination. "No time to think about it now; Sally's going to nag my head off if I don't keep my watch on them."  
  


*****

  
The two were out of the car and at their leader's side in a flash. "Sir, are you all right?" Chris asked worriedly. "What happened, sir?"  
  
Heero brushed the dirt off his shoulders and straightened his suit and tie then proceeded to remove his shades. He fingered the spot where Trowa's fist connected with his face before turning his attention to his two subordinates, a hint of a smile on his face. "It seems that the Preventers are getting involved," he lied to his comrades. "When I came here you still had yet to arrive. I decided to finish the job myself, but they had the house rigged with an alarm system; I wasn't expecting them to do that for a temporary shelter. Worse part yet, that Gundam pilot wasn't alone; the Preventers are protecting Darlian as well."  
  
"They sure did some job on you," the blond commented, removing a tube of ointment from his pocket. "How many were there?" He unscrewed the cap and placed a small dapple on his finger and smeared it on Heero's cheek.  
  
"There were only two," he continued with his lie, having spotted Wufei running in the distant, "but they were top ranking agents; along with that Gundam pilot, it was a bit too much to handle by oneself."  
  
"Wow," Chris whistled, "that's probably the first time I've heard you be so humble. What brought this on?" he laughed and patted his superior's back.  
  
Heero smirked and slipped his sunglasses back on, "I'm not one to be so arrogant as to deny when others are more skilled than I. I respect those whose abilities are better than mine; there's nothing wrong with acknowledging that." _//Trowa, keep them safe; it might be a while before I can meet up with you again... This just seems to get more and more difficult everyday... I've tried, but I can't be everywhere all at once... shimatta!// _  
  
"Taylor's not going to be happy when he hears about this, neither will the boss," Marcus mumbled off to the side, scratching his head in wonder as he assessed the damage on their leader and the house.  
  
Heero brushed past him and stopped, "Who says we have to inform them of this minor technicality?" he queried, not bothering to look behind him. "We can get rid of them before the conference week ends. That shouldn't be too hard now, right?"  
  
"And where do you suggest we start looking, sir?" he asked sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest. "For all we know, they're probably on a shuttle headed for Earth right now. Damn, I knew it was a bad idea to take on this assignment of assassinating Darlian. She's the most targeted person on both Earth and space, but she's also the only person who's escaped all those encounters alive. Darlian's the hardest person in the world to kill; every single assassin knows that."  
  
"Yeah," Chris agreed with that observation, "It seems as if she has the Devil's luck or something."  
  
"There's no such thing as luck," Marcus scolded, "There are people protecting her; ones we don't know about." The Japanese stiffened slightly at those words, but the others took no notice of it. "The best way to get to Darlian is to get through them." The tall brunette's face was set and he located the car keys and headed towards the vehicle.  
  


*****

  
"Duo!" Relena gasped, trying her best to keep up with the young man holding her hand. Truth be told, the Vice Foreign Minister wasn't up to all this strenuous exercise; her long hours in the office and conference meetings left her little time to stay in shape. At the moment, she was struggling, nearly falling down more than once. "Duo, please stop! *huff* *huff* *huff* I can't keep this up."  
  
Duo looked over his shoulder and his eyes softened, understanding how she felt; however, they were trapped in a very difficult predicament and stopping was not an option. "Just a little further Relena, just try to stay with me 'til then. C'mon, I know you can do it," he urged encouragingly. In front of him, Trowa was still running at a breakneck pace. "Oi! Trowa! Where are we headed exactly?"  
  
"To a safe house about twenty miles from here!" he answered, glancing to the sides to make sure it was safe.  
  
"Twenty miles?!" the American bawled, "What do you mean twenty miles? We can't possibly get there on foot!"  
  
"There's a storage house nearby; a car's inside," Trowa informed. His ears perked up when he heard an unfamiliar noise behind them and motioned for Duo and Relena to hide. Relena was relieved, allowed to catch her breath and rest her aching legs while Duo began to tense. They hid in the shadows of the buildings and held their guns close; ready to fire at a moment's notice. As the figure stepped into the light, the two men let out a sigh of relief; it was Wufei. They lowered their guns and slowly walked towards their friend.  
  
"Man, Wufei," Duo said joyously, "You don't know how glad I am to see you!"  
  
"Maxwell? Barton?" he mouthed in surprise before a smile appeared on his lips. "For a moment there I was afraid I wasn't going to catch up to the three of you." He noticed the girl in the corner and directed his attention on the mechanic. "How's Darlian doing?"  
  
"Well, other than being a bit out of shape," that earned a glare from the girl in question, "she's doing all right. How did you find us anyway? I thought you had to dig up information on Taylor and that organization working for him." Duo mused with a hearty smile.  
  
"Hm? Oh, Sally said she and Une would be taking care of that and sent me to look after you two and when I got to Schbeiker's house I heard all that disturbance and saw you and Darlian running along the back way of those houses," he reported as another question came to mind. "Say, Maxwell, before you left that house, did you take those provisions I gave you?"  
  
There was a moment of contemplation, "Um... Well, I have the gun with me along with the extra clips and the credits, but I think I left all that other stuff back there... Aw, damn!" he cursed realizing what that meant, "Now we won't be able to leave the colony without alerting them to our position. Kuso! We can't stay on L2, this place could be crawling with assassins." A hand pressed down on his shoulder and Duo recognized it as Relena's.  
  
"Did you say Taylor?" she looked seriously at the Chinese man in front of her as she steadied herself on the mechanic.  
  
That certainly got Wufei's attention. "You mean you don't know?" he gasped then concentrated all his energy on the braided youth. "Maxwell! You didn't tell her!?" he seethed and clenched his fists.  
  
The mechanic started to back away from the fuming Preventer, holding his hands up in defense. "Whoa, Wufei, now hold on a minute. I um... ah... it slipped my mind?" That was the most pathetic excuse he ever heard coming out of his own mouth. Relena grabbed his upper arm and pulled him so they were face to face.  
  
"Duo, please don't lie to me. You knew who the person trying to kill me was so why didn't you tell me?"  
  
He was a bit uneasy and looked to Trowa for help, but after realizing how verbally inept the other was he gave in to their requests. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you who it was," he admitted, his eyes downcast, unable, but more like unwilling, to meet the girl's gaze. "I didn't really want to be the one to tell you that one of the people whose country you're trying to help was the one trying to kill you. I-I..." The words were becoming harder and harder to express as he tried to convey the reasons behind his decision, "I just didn't want you to think that all your efforts were being wasted... I wanted to have this over with so you wouldn't have to worry about being in danger..." Through all the babbling, his last statement became the sole purpose for his actions as he looked at ocean blue and confessed, "I-I wanted to protect you... that's all."  
  
Stunned by the declaration, Relena wanted to say something in response, but Trowa's ever vigilant senses told him it was about time to leave. "We don't have anymore time to idle around." The four were then off and all other questions were put on hold until they reached safer grounds.  
  


*****

  
The car pulled up into the alley of an abandoned warehouse, beaten up and looking as if it were ready for demolition. There were stained and shattered windows accompanied by broken panels and peeling paint. A sad sight that, when seen through a rain shower, made things seem more gloomy and depressing. Along the floor and above some pipes and walkways all kinds of creatures including rats and roaches were scurrying about. Relena cringed slightly aware that she'd seen this type of thing before in those old horror movies where the killers usually hid behind some door ready to slit the throats of those foolish enough to enter their domain. A tap on her shoulder brought her back to reality and she graciously took Duo's hand as he led her out of the car.  
  
Duo whistled and took in the 'grand' site before him. "Wow, Trowa," he remarked sarcastically, "You sure do know how to pick such 'lovely' hideouts. This is the kind of place everybody's trying to get reservations for; it's got everything, lovely scenery, stained glass windows, it allows the breeze to go in and out freely, and it's got all sorts of 'exotic' creatures to play with- OW!" he screeched when Wufei slapped the back of his head.  
  
"Mind your manners, Maxwell," he hissed under his breath, surveying the building in front of them. He evaluated the factory mentally and deemed it satisfactory, meeting his standards of approval; the building didn't have to look good in order to protect the Vice Foreign Minister. A rat jumped off an open oil drum and Wufei craned his neck to the sides to make sure it was only the filthy vermin and nothing else. "This will do until the situation blows over," he commented, walking towards the door, using all his strength to pry it open. "Let's get in before we're spotted." Yet before he was even able to make a move, his cell phone rang. "Yes, what is it?" he snapped in annoyance.  
  
The others looked on as Wufei's expression changed from annoyance to anger to distress and to one of pure frustration. His conversation consisted of abrupt interruptions and many questions of "What happened?" and "What do you mean-" along with "But-" and "How-" before he sighed and switched off the phone. A heavy silence descended upon them and the three could that Wufei was inserting his iron will to keep from shedding tears as his hands clenched into tight fists. His head hung low for a brief moment before he turned to address them. "... That was Sally," he informed with a sullen tone, "she's told me that one of our agents has just been killed... He was investigating a lead we had and was discovered. Sally said they lost contact with him earlier this morning; he was somewhere in Germany at the time. He sent out a distress message saying they were close... and then they heard gunfire."  
  
"Wufei-" Relena spoke, stepping forward but was held at bay with a gesture from his side. He looked up and they could see the conflict in his eyes at having lost a teammate.  
  
"He knew what he was getting into, there is no need for sympathy. The only problem is that he wasn't able to retrieve or confirm anything for us. All we know is that there is a hostile group residing in that location of Germany... Sally says they need a replacement for his assignment and since the others are very hesitant to go, Lady Une has nominated me for the job." The emotions inside of him were stirring wildly; he was unsure of how he should feel. The fact that the tragedy was clouded in obscurity made him uneasy and the knowledge that those people were willing to shoot without questions asked made him afraid. A few years ago he'd never feared death, there wasn't much to live for; however, now that he had grown, he had friends, people who were like family and a chance to regain the life he should have had in the first place. They were too precious to give up, but he knew what was needed of him and he resigned to accept the fate dished out to him; he would go. "I should be leaving now, but I am grateful that I had the opportunity to see and make sure that you were safe Darlian, Maxwell."  
  
"I'm sorry Wu," Duo said dejectedly, his shoulders slumped with helplessness.  
  
"You can take the car," Trowa offered, throwing him the keys.  
  
"Thank you," he looked back to Duo and then Relena, "Take care of her." He left without another word and was out of the building before the others could stop him.  
  
"So what's the plan from here on end?" Duo piped up, "Trowa?"  
  
The performer had a thoughtful look on his face, "We have to make sure the area's safe. I don't think they'll come looking for us here, but there's no telling what lurks behind these corners. What's the time Duo?"  
  
"Ah... it's around ten."  
  
"We should get started right away... we have a long day ahead of us." No more words were exchanged, the day already held too many bad memories.  
  


*****

  
They had passed the day in silence, each to their own thoughts about what would happen in the upcoming days. Things seemed grim and there weren't much left for them to hope for. On the floor was a pile of wrappers and soda cans; provisions Trowa bought a few hours prior that was their lunch and dinner. Relena sat alone on an overturned crate; Trowa was in the corner leaning on the wall, while Duo paced about with pent up energy. The darkness was unsettling and getting to the three in its own unique way. For the clown, black surroundings caused him to relive that painful memory of when he was lost in space. His body shivered and a few trickles of sweat slid down his cheek; it was cold, so cold, and he once again felt alone and abandoned. For Relena, the darkness released all the fears and doubts she'd kept at bay during the day, crashing like tidal waves. All her barriers proved useless on these shapeless enemies; she was defenseless, reduced to the vulnerable child she worked hard to conceal.  
  
Duo on the other hand, was determined to maintain his jovial nature, throwing in comments once in awhile in between the pacing. _//I will not let this affect me. Things will turn out fine in the end. Wufei's okay and Heero's doing his best to make sure those guys never find us. It's only a matter of time before my life gets back on track and I'm fixing broken things again. It's just a matter of time... before all this madness ends... ::Before you have to say goodbye to Relena?:: Huh?... I can't believe I almost forgot about that...//_ He looked towards the diplomat and saw her heartbreaking expression, her eyes dull and lifeless with unknown emotions._ //During all that time we spent together, it was as if nothing else mattered. It felt so normal just being together; I felt like I was normal. What am I going to do without her? Can I go on without her? ::You should answer those questions now while you have the chance:: I-I... I can't do this now! She's got too much on her mind; I'll only make it worst!//_  
  
Unexpectedly Duo stormed across the room and headed out the door. Both Relena and Trowa were surprised by his actions and the girl was ready to go after him, but Trowa stopped her. "You stay here, it might not be safe outside. We'll be back in a few minutes." Relena nodded her understanding and resumed her seat on the crate.  
  
She watched silently as his figure disappeared behind the large metal doors and sighed as she grabbed her chest to still her heavy heart. _//What's happening? How did things get so out of hand? How did I lose control? How? Why? Why is this happening? Isn't everything supposed to get better once the war is over? That's how it is in the fairytales, so why can't it be the same in life? ::Are you feeling lonely again?:: You already know that answer, there's no need to ask. ::Are you feeling insecure?:: I always have, this is nothing new. ::Do you wish that Heero was here?:: ... I don't know... I miss him and I miss the way he made me feel safe, but I don't think I can go on living like this; checking every corner and turning at every noise just to see if it's him. ::What about Duo?:: Duo... he's such a nice guy, but I'm not sure what I feel for him. It's great having him near me... so warm and comforting... it feels... like I have someone I can count on and... ::Love?:: I-I... I don't know. I don't know how I feel these days; I didn't think I could anymore... What would I do about Heero? I still want to be able to give him something he can hope for, someone he can love and cherish. ::You've done that already by giving him a future he can live in:: I haven't done that yet, there are those that won't let me... people I work with and for. I haven't given him anything he can hold on to... no wonder he keeps his distance... I'm a disappointment; I've failed.//_  
  
"Relena." Came a low, gruff voice; it was monotone but full of hidden emotion.  
  
The girl looked up and her eyes widened in fear and shock. It was Heero, beautiful and dangerous all at once. His shades were off and she could see those stormy blue eyes in what little light the room offered. They spoke volumes of what the former pilot wanted to say but unable to voice. She recognized confusion, hesitation, uncertainty, defiance, and something that resembled love.   
  
"Heero..." her voice trailed and her mind warned. _//Have you come to kill me at last, Heero?//_  
  


  
-to be continued-  
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I said I was going to finish this fic in fewer than 10 chapters and that is what I'm going to do, even if it kills me! Yeah, yeah, I know it was a bit confusing, but that's because I want to finish this as soon as possible so I can get back to Trapped Soul which I really think will turn out great. I miss that fic so much but thank goodness I still have most of the ideas for it. My memory might be the worst thing in the world when it comes to school but it's the best storage space for useless, miscellaneous junk. By that I mean I know about every single character in anime, their personal data, their seiyuu, the original creators of that anime or manga, and some other stuff that just doesn't really prove useful in everyday life. *sigh* AP's are coming up and so are finals and then Anime Expo. Once all that is over with, I have to deal with college... I feel sick now. Well, if you've been following this story you know how long it usually takes for me to get a chapter out and considering I still don't have my own PC... Well, you know the rest, ja ne.   



	8. A Night of Nomadic Thoughts

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are the property of Sotsu, Sunrise, TV Asahi, Bandai, etc. I don't own any part of it and I'm not making any money out of it either. This is purely for entertainment purposes, nothing more and nothing less.   
  
Warnings: Mild language and violence. Slight 1+R but it's still a 2+R fic.  
  
A.N: Some people have been wondering why I'm putting the same disclaimer over and over again on my fics instead of the comments I used to have. Well, I'm just too tired to try and be clever; I'm busy trying to devise plans on how to get my oniisan offline. He's been playing Diablo II online from morning till night for the past few weeks which means I'm basically barred from the PC. So far, I've already gotten a couple of people hunting him down online and I hope they can get to him soon, that rat bastard! BTW, for those wanting to know more about Todesengel, there's a little part that gets more into them.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 8: A Night of Nomadic Thoughts  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
"Duo, what's wrong?" Trowa questioned, having caught up with the despondent youth. The other was leaning against the steel wall of the worn down building, his head hung low.  
  
"... Nothing's wrong, I just needed to get out for a breather. I mean, I'm not scared of the dark or anything... but it can be a little unnerving sometimes... ya know?" He looked up to the taller man for support.  
  
"I understand," Trowa replied, joining Duo at the wall, his easy manner disguising the weariness that flowed through his limbs. "I've never been fond of the dark myself. There is always something about it that leaves you feeling empty, no matter how many are with you." He closed his eyes and savored the gentle wind that swept by, created by the colony's air conditioning system. "So, what exactly unnerved you back there? It couldn't have been the shadows." He mused, sounding as if he already knew the answer to his own question.  
  
Duo raked a hand through his hair before placing both of them in his pockets, his back on the wall, eyes staring to the farthest reaches of the colony. "Heh heh, I'm not usually like this, ne? Just that... I've been putting off having to deal with some things up till now..."  
  
"Relena?"  
  
"Yeah..." He confirmed with a hint of a smile on his lips. "I'm kinda confused as to what I should do once this thing blows over... I thought that maybe I could ask her to stay on L2 for a little while longer so that we could spend extra time together but-" Trowa quirked an eyebrow but said nothing, leaving the mechanic to finish his ramble. It was quite amusing to see the former Shinigami fumble over words; one thing's for sure, he never ran out of them. "... now that Heero's here, she's probably forgotten about me already... Hah, it was stupid of me to think I could've had a chance with her. But that's me, Duo Maxwell, the fool."  
  
Trowa chuckled slightly at that assessment, wondering if he would ever feel like that someday. "You haven't exactly told her this, have you?" he queried in a light, sympathetic tone.  
  
"Thank you, no, but I'd like to keep my dignity and pride in tact. I don't think I could take having them smashed to pieces when I'm told that I'll never have a chance." He huffed and kicked a small pebble near his right foot. "I mean, when you consider the options she has, it's easy to see who her choice will be... Oh Shinigami, my heart hurts..." he gasped, clutching his shirt as his mind sorted the erratic emotions flooding his mind. _//It's all coming to an end. This strange fairytale I deceived myself into believing; the beautiful princess being protected from unknown villains by the handsome youth that she would eventually fall in love with.// _Although the youth hadn't exactly expressed his desire for such a thing, the past few days allowed him moments for which this fantasy came into being. He'd been the one to see her smile and laugh, to see her let go of all her inhibitions and formality, to see her wake up with the morning rays bathing her in divine light, to see her carefree and happy. It wasn't fair that those things were going to be taken from him after he'd just experienced them. It was like exposing a child to candy then telling the child that was the one thing he/she couldn't have.  
  
_//Why the HELL is life screwing with me!? Why am I being the one tortured here!? You can't do this to me! YOU CAN'T!// _The mechanic wasn't quite sure who he was addressing at that moment: God, Heero, or Relena, but knew that one of them had to be the cause. "I think..." he began slowly while Trowa listened attentively, "that I'm life's personal plaything."  
  
"... We all are, Duo," the stoic man rebuked calmly, "We all are."  
  
"So what do you think I should do? With Heero here now, there's no way I can avoid the issue with Relena..." the words came out sullenly, "I was better off not knowing about his existence..." they were bitter now, "at least I didn't have to deal with it or even think about it," he ended regretfully.  
  
Trowa pushed himself off the wall and stood in front of the shorter man, his hands at his sides, his stance commanding. "Putting issues such as these off accomplishes nothing. Will you run from this all your life? Will you continue to run from the choices and responsibilities that are inevitably yours? What will you do when you regret not doing anything in the end? What is there to be afraid of?"  
  
Duo chuckled softly, that was the most he'd ever heard from the entertainer in the years they'd been friends. It was quite refreshing and he would've pondered on it more, but the questions needed to be answered. "The only thing to be afraid of... is rejection."  
  


*****

  
The silence around them intensified, seeping into every crevice of the abandoned warehouse. Like a scene frozen in time, Heero stood unmoving as Relena held his gaze, entranced by those midnight blue eyes. It became like one of those instances between two people where awkwardness took control and anything spoken would've spoiled the moment.  
  
The busy feet of nearby rodents jumping onto empty oil drums and pipes shattered the stillness. Heero spoke first, concentrating his gaze on discarded crates off to the side. "... It's nice to see you again, Relena," he admitted truthfully, slowly making his way to her once more.  
  
The young woman hesitantly stood up, cautious of what his true intentions may be. After searching his eyes for hints of deception, she slowly walked forward and embraced him. Almost instantaneously the tears came, and she cried unashamedly onto his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her body a few seconds later and held her reassuringly, waiting for the tears to subside._ //Oh God... Heero, it's actually you. You're not a dream; you're real... it's really you...//_ It took a few minutes before the tears shut off and Relena stirred, pulling out of the hug. She looked at him with sad eyes, conveying all the pain and loneliness collected in those ocean blue orbs over the years.  
  
She brought up a hand to wipe away a stray tear then recomposed herself into the dignified diplomat the solar system was used to seeing. "What brings you here?" She asked in a controlled tone, every bit the politician her father trained her to be.  
  
If Heero had been surprised by that sudden transition, he didn't show it; he'd seen the young woman in all her different stages before, it was nothing new. "... I came by to check on you; see how you were doing."  
  
The simple answer didn't seem to satisfy the young woman's curiosity and so she pressed on. "Really? Tell me something, Heero, was it just my imagination, or were you the one shooting at us back there at Hilde's house?"  
  
The Japanese youth couldn't help the smirk that crept its way to his lips and he released a soft chuckle. "I'm working under cover," he stated, "I've been doing so for almost a year now."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"The organization I'm employed to is the same one trying to kill you; I'm the project leader," he informed her as if it were an everyday thing.  
  
"... How did I know you were going to say something like that?" she sighed and laughed softly. "Honestly, Heero, I think you're becoming predictable." Again she laughed, her light teasing easing the tension. The other gave a glare, but his eyes softened at her carefree attitude. "So, what's the name of this so called organization that's threatening my very life?" she asked dramatically, her outlook seeming to have changed with Heero's presence.  
  
The youth shook his head and reprimanded her, "This isn't something to take lightly; they may have me hunting you but that doesn't mean they don't have other people doing it as well... It also appears as if they're getting suspicious of me. I don't know how long I can keep up this charade." He turned away from her but soon realized he hadn't answered her question. "Todesengel," he whispered hesitantly.  
  
"Todesengel..." Relena breathed out cautiously as if the enemy could hear her, "... Angels of Death?"  
  
Heero raised an eyebrow at that startling revelation, "You know German?"  
  
The young diplomat lifted her head to meet his gaze, answering him, "A little... Just enough to pass idle conversation with the other diplomats and politicians... This group... they sound dangerous..."  
  
"They're more than dangerous," Heero replied gravely in a low voice, "They've never failed in any of their assignments so far; all of their missions have been completed successfully."  
  
"This is just great..." she huffed, sounding as if she would have a breakdown, "I always seem to attract all the so-called unstoppable forces of Earth and space. Is it just me, or does the whole solar system seem to regard me as some sort of target that'll earn assassins special recognition if they succeed?"  
  
Heero noticed Relena drawing into herself, a distant look on her face, and walked forward, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I won't let anything happen to you. As long as I'm here I'll protect you; I promise." He declared into her soft hair, taking in the clean scent of spring.  
  
"... Duo said the same thing to me..." Relena whispered offhandedly, unaware that she had spoken.  
  
The Japanese youth tightened his grip, unidentifiable emotions constricting his heart. _//... She... she cares about him... I-I have to ask... it's now or never... I can't be there for her, but... maybe he can...//_ "... Relena?"  
  
"Hn?"  
  
He was silent for a few moments, trying to piece together what he wanted to ask. "What," he began slowly, "... what are your feelings for Duo?"  
  


*****

  
Stretching out his body, the mechanic glanced up at the colony, wishing he were on Earth, staring at the beautiful moon. Some things were just better seen and admired from afar. It had been quite some time since he was last on the Earth appreciating the moon's true splendor. Now that he thought about it, he'd been given another reason, besides the moon, to visit the Earth more often. _//Relena... I'm not going down without a fight! I-I want to be with you. I want to be there to see you smile and laugh; I want to be there when you're sad so that I can make you happy again; I want to be there when you wake up so that I'm the first thing you see in the morning... Relena... There's no way I'm stepping aside and letting Heero take you away.// _He looked up at Trowa and grinned widely, his mind made up, he headed for the door.  
  
"May I ask what the cause for this sudden change is?" The clown queried dryly already aware of what it was about.  
  
"I've decided to take you up on your advice and talk to her," he answered with good spirits. "I mean, the worst thing that could happen would be her rejection, but then again, she'd still be my friend. If we can't have a meaningful relationship with one another, then we'll have a meaningful friendship." Whistling into the night air with hands in his pockets, the mechanic walked over to the door.  
  
"I wouldn't go in," Trowa remarked, stopping the other in mid-step.  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Because Heero's in there," he replied stoically. Duo's eyes widened and his jaw dropped in total disbelief before he caught a glimpse of something moving in the shadows.  
  


*****

  
The girl stood frozen, wondering if she had heard correctly._ //Duo? What does Duo have to do with any of this? Why would Heero ask such a question? ::Because he knows you and Duo have been getting close:: How would he? ::It's Heero, he's able to do almost anything, except live a normal life:: ... Duo... What are my feelings for him? Do I feel anything for him? ::That answer should be clear; you harbor very strong emotions towards him. Up till this morning, the two of you were acting quite cozy, like everything you did together was natural:: But I love Heero! ::Do you? Or are your feelings for him now just tied over from the war? From your desire to give him a life that excluded war and all of its incarnations?:: ... I... I never thought about that... I just wanted to make him happy... ::Maybe you already have:: ...//_  
  
"Relena?"  
  
Startled, she looked up and met his eyes and saw his need for an answer, one that was truthful and honest. "I-I don't know..." Her hands fell to her sides and she took a few steps back, averting her gaze to the floor, suddenly doubtful of the things that, mere moments ago, she believed she was certain of. "... I guess I like him... during our time together he was so nice..." A smiled crossed her lips as she continued to stare at the concrete ground. "He'd always try to make me laugh whenever I looked down or gloomy and he always looked like he had a smile ready just for me. The last two mornings he's even made me breakfast... I didn't even know he could cook! He's very... caring and... sweet... When I was with him, I-"  
  
"What?" Heero's expression was sad, but he pressed on ignoring the pain stirring in his heart.  
  
"... I didn't even think about the rest of the universe. For the first time in a long time... I didn't think about anything else... I had a chance to be... me... Relena Darlian, a normal girl without any worries." That small confession stirred up feelings of guilt; she was supposed to be in love with Heero, so it seemed wrong to have had such a wonderful time with Duo.  
  
"... Relena, if you love him... I think you should be with him and forget about me..."_ //Oh Kami-sama, that hurt even more than I thought it would.//_  
  
"What?" She looked at him, horror-stricken. "Why would you tell me this? I don't even know what I feel for Duo."  
  
"That's because you won't allow yourself to feel anything for others, afraid that in doing so, you'll be abandoning me," he stated firmly, his heart heavy.  
  
"That's not true, Heero..." she denied shaking her head, "I've cared about you since the first time we met... All I ever wanted to do was give you hope and reassurance that the war wouldn't last forever, that one day your life would be normal..." Her pleading eyes found his and they stared deeply into each other. "... I just wanted you to be happy..." Again guilt flooded her and she broke off her gaze choosing a nice section of the floor. _//I thought I was feeling this way cause I was spending so much time with Duo... so why would I feel like that by telling Heero that I want the best for him? ::The answer isn't that hard when you look at it from another perspective. You love both of them, or at least your feelings border along those lines. Leaning towards one or the other would naturally stir up such emotions:: Is that it? Do I really care that much for the both of them?//_  
  
The Japanese agent was silent, having doubts and second thoughts about what he was actually trying to accomplish. _//No! I have to do this!//_ "Relena, don't think about me or what will happen to me should you turn to Duo. You shouldn't worry about my outcome because you already know that whatever choice you make I'll still protect you; that's a promise I mean to keep... And don't assume you hold any obligations towards me... You've done just as much for me."  
  
"But-"  
  
"If I wasn't a factor in this situation," he quickly interrupted her with a serious tone, "If you never even saw me this entire week, if I wasn't here at all... Do you think that you and Duo could have had something?"  
  
The young woman was unsure and suddenly became uncomfortable under his scrutiny. "I don't know... but Heero-"  
  
"Relena," he interrupted again, "... If-If Duo is the person who can make you happy; I don't want you to pass up that chance because of me... I don't want to be the cause of your unhappiness."  
  
"But I can't help thinking about what will happen to you. I know you care for me, Heero... So I can't help but feel that I'm leaving you alone in this world," she countered with tears in her eyes.  
  
Heero's expression softened and he wiped the crystalline drops away. Placing a hand on her cheek he looked into her eyes and told her what was true in his heart. "As long as you're alive and happy, I'll never be alone in this world."  
  
"Heero!"  
  
Trowa's voice snapped the two into attention and they caught sight of the clown running in their direction with Duo close behind. The look in his eyes told him without words that they had been discovered. With hesitated movements, he left Relena's side and ran past Trowa, yelling over his shoulder to the taller youth. "Protect her!" he screamed, drawing out the gun from the holster inside his blazer. As he approached Duo, he signaled for the youth to follow him and soon the two were gone.  
  


*****

  
The two men stared at each other, one displaying anger while the other played innocent. "See," said Marcus, "I told you he was a spy." After their leader informed him that he'd be departing their company again to look for the target alone the two had become suspicious. There was just something about his attitude towards the mission that kept them on their toes. At one moment he was as stiff as a board, being the most anal and mission-oriented bastard the two had ever known. Then there were times when they were chattering about Darlian where the young man would get distracted and even nervous. Although the normal person would not have recognized such symptoms, they had been around him for nearly a year.  
  
After their decision was made to trail the stern youth, it hadn't been much of a surprise when they discovered that his destination was the diplomat's hideout. Chris, still somewhat loyal to his leader, suggested that it was just the Japanese's great tracking skills. Marcus, on the other hand, countered that possibility by stating that the young man never hesitated on his way to the warehouse, meaning he knew exactly where the girl would be. It was just too convenient to be chalked up as coincidence.  
  
Shrugging at the accusation, Chris pulled out his gun and readjusted his shades. "Well, it doesn't matter now; if we keep on reasserting who was right and who was wrong, then our target's going to get away." He smiled at the annoyed expression his partner gave him.  
  
"Tch, you always did know how to shift the blame away from yourself," Marcus commented. He looked down from the building's roof and scanned the grounds below, searching for signs of his former leader and the two men with him. _//I've got you now! Heh, I can't believe you were able to fool us for so long, but now your time's up. After I kill you and expose you to the rest of Todesengel, I'll be praised and promoted for my actions. Heh, this is going to be sweet.//_ He stopped in his thoughts when he saw his comrade pulling out his cell phone. "What are you doing?"  
  
The other arched an eyebrow before explaining. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm calling headquarters; they need to be informed that the operation has been jeopardized."  
  
"You'll do no such thing," Marcus exclaimed, placing a hand over the phone, "If you call them now, they'll think we're asking for help. We'd never be able to live it down, especially with those guys from Engel. I can already hear them jeering at us; this whole week has been nothing but crap and that's the last thing I want to happen to top it off."  
  
His partner sighed and slumped his shoulders in defeat, well aware of what the other was trying to get through. Todesengel was divided into five main units of assassins: Gott, Teufel, Engel, Damon, and Heiliger. Gott was the group that held the leader of Todesengel; in a way, they consisted of the best the organization had. Teufel and Engel were the closest next to Gott, and after them, the others were pretty much equal. He and Marcus were part of the Teufel unit whose rival where those in Engel. Bitter towards one another, they always tried to one-up each other during missions. Contacting Todesengel at this point would make it seem like a distress call, as if they were crying to home with their tails between their legs.  
  
"Scheisse! You're right. I'll be damned if I ever let those bastards have the last laugh," he spat vehemently, putting away the phone. "So what course of action do you suggest we take?"  
  
To that, the taller man already had a plan in mind. "Easy my friend," he exclaimed, placing an arm around Chris' shoulder bringing him close, "All we need to do is take care of this minor technicality ourselves. We kill him and his two companions will become easy pickings, after that the Darlian girl will be no problem at all. Then we'll report back to Taylor, get the rest of our pay, and go back to Todesengel and report to them the events that transpired that led to our assassinating the project leader."  
  
Chris though still held his doubts, realizing that the so-called solution sounded a bit too easy for comfort. The Japanese youth wasn't their leader for nothing; his skills were far superior to many in the organization. The only thing keeping him out of Gott was his lack of experience and hesitation to kill; those in Gott had been around for decades, they knew everything that took place inside and outside of Todesengel. In the first two months alone, the Japanese youth had gained the admiration of the organization's leader and had worked his way into becoming a leader himself, assigned to one of the best groups.  
  
"You may say it'll be a piece of cake, but remember," he warned in a serious tone, "he defeated the both of us in unarmed combat during training."  
  
Marcus turned his head to the side abruptly, not wanting to be reminded that someone younger and smaller than himself had outmatched him. "Tch, I already know that! All I'm saying, is that we have to get rid of him in order to get to Darlian." He saw the other nod and they quickly made their way down the building, mentally preparing themselves for the inevitable conflict that would soon come to pass. This wasn't a first for them, they'd been in many battles prior to this, however; it would be the first in which they'd draw arms against someone who was a comrade, someone they'd been living with for close to a year now. While Marcus didn't have to much problems with it, his desire for leadership fueling him on, Chris, despite his talks, still felt odd about possibly killing his leader, spy or not.  
  


*****

  
_//I shouldn't be here.//_ The mechanic repeated for the fifth time in his head. _//I shouldn't be here following Yuy to Shinigami knows where; this doesn't feel right. Where is she? I should be with her, protecting her like I promised. This doesn't feel right at all.// _Lost in thought, he didn't notice when Heero had stopped and ran right into his back, knocking the Japanese youth a couple steps forward.  
  
With a menacing glare Heero turned around and aimed his gun at the American. "Watch where you're going, we don't know where the enemy is and slipups like that give them the opportunity to retaliate," he told the other sternly. Cocking his gun again, he surveyed the area outside the building, wary of the shadows that loomed over them.  
  
"Well excuse me, Mr. Perfect Soldier!" Duo remarked sarcastically, "But if you think I'm such a screw up then why did you drag me along? Wouldn't Trowa have been a much better choice?"  
  
_//Dammit! I don't have time for this!.// _Grabbing Duo's shoulders, the disgruntled youth swung the mechanic so they were face to face. "It's because you're such a screw up that you're with me. Relena's the top priority right now and I'm not going to jeopardize her life by letting someone who gets easily distracted guard her," he hissed furiously.  
  
Angered by the remarks, the braided youth slapped away the hands and glared. Fueled on by thoughts of loss and inferiority he held his ground and rebuked. "I'd never let anything happen to her-" He was cut-off mid-sentence by gunfire and both he and Heero scrambled for cover behind a wall of stacked oil drums and crates. "Shit!" he cursed and returned fire to the unseen enemies.  
  
"Like I said," Heero began from the other end of the 'wall', "you're too much of a liability to be the one guarding her."  
  
"And you think you could've done better?" Duo retorted ducking his head to avoid a hail of bullets. He looked over his shoulder at his partner-for-the-time-being, and saw him mentally psyche up for what he was to do: shoot with the intent to kill. Duo sighed, he'd heard about the promise Heero made to himself after he'd foiled Dekim's plan. _//Dammit, Heero! You shouldn't be here either; you might not have it in you to kill again!//_  
  
Heero was silent for a moment then looked to his comrade. "No," he stated firmly, "I wouldn't have done better; my emotions would get in the way."  
  
"Emotions? You have none!" Duo shouted angrily but the look in Heero's eyes to the comment made him automatically regret it. "... Gomen... but emotions don't hamper a person's ability. I'd give my life to protect her..." He stared at the ground and let loose a sob.  
  
After returning fire for a round, Heero looked to Duo again replying, "And you think that it's all right to sacrifice one life for another?... That is not what Relena would wish for... but then again, she would do the same thing. Trowa won't let that happen... Duo... if you care about her try your best to stay alive... For her, stay alive."  
  
The mechanic snorted and shot at the shadows concealing the enemy. "Hmph, shouldn't you be the one trying to stay alive? You're the one she cares about... not me."  
  
The other youth's eyes softened sympathetically; he'd never seen the usually buoyant man so dejected. "Are you sure about that?" he asked in a light tone. The other's eyes widen but his thoughts were stopped when he heard the screeching tires of a car. "That would be them."  
  


*****

  
The two stopped shooting and lowered their guns, tuning their ears to the sound that pierced the night wind. Marcus scowled loudly and replaced his gun back inside his coat. "Scheisse!" he cursed aloud, "That was Darlian! C'mon Chris, we can forget him for now!"  
  
"But you said that getting rid of him would make Darlian's assassination easier!" Chris protested, firing another shot at the makeshift wall, unwilling to retreat. He would've continued if it not been for his companion tugging insistently on his arm.  
  
"I know what I said, but how do you suggest we kill Darlian if we can't find her?" he rebuked impatiently, his temper wearing thin and his reserve gone.  
  
Realizing the situation they were placed in, the blond regretfully left his post and followed the other into the darkness that hid their vehicle. They were hasty in their movements, they'd already wasted precious seconds by arguing the matter; they didn't need to lose anymore. Jumping inside the car, they forego buckling their seatbelts and drove off, screeching tires loud enough to wake the dead.  
  


*****

  
It had already been close to ten minutes and Trowa's calm attitude certainly didn't reflect much in his driving; his turns, starts and stops looked normal enough... if you ignored the speed at which he was going. Of course, it wasn't totally reckless; he was using his utmost skills to avoid hitting any of the pedestrians that had the unlucky sense to step onto the pavement.  
  
"Where exactly are we going, Trowa?" Relena asked curiously, calm in her demeanor yet gripping the cushion of the seat so tightly her knuckles had turned white.  
  
"For now, we're just trying to get away," he replied stoically. An offhanded glance in her direction told him she was frightened, and so, he tried to accommodate her needs by slowing down a fraction. But despite his efforts, the young woman still seemed preoccupied and that's when it occurred to him that she didn't fear her own safety, but those of the two left behind. "They'll be fine, Gundam pilots, retired or not, can survive anything."  
  
She looked in his direction and smiled, "So I've heard... and seen." Chuckling softly, she continued to try and establish some sort of communication with the normally quiet one. "Exactly what does it take to get rid of a Gundam pilot?"  
  
"Personally, I do not know but..." he trailed off and sadness crept into his voice, "I think that in order to kill a Gundam pilot, one must kill all those the Gundam pilot cherishes... I know that I wouldn't be able to survive if Catherine were taken from me..."  
  
Relena smiled and stared off into the light-filled streets, reflecting on his words. "... You must really love her, don't you?"  
  
Trowa was silent for a second before answering, "I've spent an entire childhood away from her," his voice stayed its usual monotone but it wavered minutely, "Without knowing what it was like to be loved and to love someone back just as equally. She's the reason I'm fighting right now."  
  
"... I wish I'd been given the chance to do the same with Milliard," the diplomat confessed. "The only thing I know about him is from what Colonel Une, Sally Po, Noin, and Pagan tells me. Other than that I only know him as the man who left the Sank Kingdom's ideals in order to gain revenge against the Alliance." Again, her field of vision turned to the streets as memories from a few years passed made its way to the forefront on her mind. "I guess I can understand what he was trying to do... but... but I just wish I had the chance to spend more time with him... To have him tell me what our childhood was like; I remember so little of it... but he's gone now... Did I ever tell you that I really do envy you, Trowa?"  
  
The former pilot chuckled softly causing the girl to get confused. "Remember what I said about Gundam pilots; they can survive anything. If my memory serves me right, he was the official pilot of the Epyon. If you're alive and well, then so is Zechs," he reassured her gently.  
  
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mi-" The car came to an abrupt halt, sending the girl forward with the momentum. It took her a second to regain equilibrium, her hands clutching her head for balance. "What happened?" she asked confused, still dazed.  
  
True to form, Trowa had not lost his cool and checked the area they were in through the car windows. "It seems," he began still carrying out his surveillance, "that there's been an accident around here," he informed taking note of the three car pile-up that blocked their path. Around the street many people had gathered, awaiting the ambulance and excitement that came with it, which included the possibility of being on TV. From the angle of all the cars, Trowa surmised that the middle one had done it, possibly being careless and turning when it obviously wasn't his turn. _//Shit.// _He thought as he tried to back out of the street, but unfortunately another car had already gone into the same street, now barring his rear exit plan.  
  
He wasn't sure if it was better to remain in their current position or abandon the vehicle and head out on foot. Checking the situation behind them, he realized it would be impossible for them to escape through that route. The sounds of more vehicles pulling up made him apprehensive and so, deciding to take advantage of the gathering people as cover, he unlatched his and Relena's seatbelts, motioning for her to leave the car. With his gun securely hidden inside his coat's pocket he stepped out the door and made his way over to the girl and led her through the mass of bodies.  
  
Slipping through with little difficulty, Trowa pushed on until they were safely covered within the darkness of the alley. Out from public view both Relena and Trowa were allowed to recollect their thoughts and reassess where they stood at that particular moment. They were somewhere, although, Trowa wasn't exactly sure where since his main objective was to put some distance between Relena and her would-be assassins. He sure did a good job of that considering they were practically a good ten to fifteen miles from the warehouse. The other problem was where they should go for coverage; it had to be a place that accommodated all their needs and allowed easy access to things such as the web and videophones.  
  
To his knowledge the only place he knew that would meet most of those needs was the circus but he refused to even allow those men within twenty miles of the vicinity. There was no way in the world he was going to endanger his family; this wasn't a problem that concerned them in the slightest. But figuring out where he couldn't go wasn't what was needed and he focused more of his concentration into locating areas where they could conceal themselves. "Relena," he found himself speaking suddenly, "Maybe we should head back to your hotel room. So far, it seems the best suited for a hideout; after the Preventers inspected it they were able to clear it of all the dangers. It's also pretty heavily guarded considering the conference being held this week."  
  
After sneaking in a glance at the crowd sill forming, she faced him and answered, "Well, I guess that's the only place we have left. The only problem would be how to get in there. I can just walk in there without any setbacks but I don't think it would be good for me to be seen with you. Questions might arise and I really don't feel like trying to explain this to the media should they catch wind of it." She straightened out and smirked, "Remember, I have a public image to maintain. What would they say when they hear that I'm sneaking tall, handsome, strangers into my hotel room? Just try and guess how long I'll be able to stay in politics..." Her voice trailed off when something suddenly came to mind. "Oh no! My keys! I left them in my bag at Hilde's!"  
  
The Stoic One chuckled and took hold of her hand, guiding her through the dark alley. They only had a few more hours before dawn would set in and they still had no idea where they were. The surrounding area did look slightly familiar but still they were technically lost. Looking back over his shoulder he offered his reassurance, "Don't worry, we'll figure something out."  
  


*****

  
"Where the hell did those bastards go!?" Duo screamed into the silent night when fifteen minutes had passed without anything happening. No response came and he turned to see what was wrong with Heero. "Dammit! You're supposed to answer my question!"  
  
The Japanese youth barely acknowledged him with more than a huff before he stalked away, shouting to the other. "Where do you think they've gone? Most likely they heard Trowa and Relena driving away and have left to follow them before they lost track." He walked away checking his gun to see how many remaining bullets he had left with Duo in tow. "Since Trowa took the car," he continued with set determination, "we need to find some other means of transportation lest you prefer walking on foot."  
  
Duo sighed and gave up the argument, walking silently behind with his hands in his pockets._ //Damn... Relena... I'm so sorry...//_ He looked up and stared at Heero's back wondering if the usually stoic one was going through the same self-loathing he was. He chuckled to himself realizing the answer should have been clear to him. All those years Heero had kept himself away from the diplomat for her own safety; in the back of his mind he wondered if he would have done the same thing. "I don't know what I'd do anymore," he whispered to himself quietly, "this entire thing's really starting to confuse me." Yet, despite his ramblings, he knew in his heart the one thing that remained true, his feelings for Relena. _//Relena, no matter what happens in the end; no matter if it's Heero you choose, I'll always love and protect you. Maybe I won't be as great as Heero in that department, but I'll do my best. Please stay alive for me.//_  
  
The mechanic heard Heero mumble to himself and inquired, "What's wrong?"  
  
"Trowa has my extra cell phone," he informed his comrade, "I can call him to get their location." He heard the mechanic give a sigh of relief, the tension automatically leaving his body, and smiled. With swift fingers he dialed the other cell and waited for Trowa to pick up the other line._ //C'mon, c'mon, c'mon.// _He repeated nervously in his mind though it never surfaced in his appearance._ //I need to know that the two of you are alive.// _The other end clicked and immediately he heard Trowa's voice.  
  
"Heero?" he asked unsure if it was the Japanese agent or his former comrades.  
  
Giving Duo a nod in affirmation, the grim youth concentrated on his conversation over the cell. "They're on your tail," he said not wasting any time, getting straight into the seriousness of the situation. "I doubt they know your exact whereabouts, but still, try to keep out of sight. I also need to know where you two are or at least where you're headed." Duo who was standing to his right grinned; he'd almost forgotten how severe the other could sound during such circumstances.  
  
"Relena and I are headed back to her hotel."  
  
Heero's brows furrowed and hid voice became firmer, "Are you sure that's wise. The two of you could be seen."  
  
"Don't worry," Trowa's voice reassured, "we won't go in through the front door; Relena left her keys at Hilde's house."  
  
"Ryoukai," Heero replied looking at his watch, "stay there until we come for you around noon. Make sure she gets enough sleep and try to get something to eat as well." Turning off the phone, he averted his gaze and caught Duo peering across the grounds to the bright lights of the city. "Shall we?"  
  
Unable to suppress a grin, the American nodded and Heero could see a dangerous glint in his eyes. If only those assassins knew what they were getting into; a supposedly normal Duo was hard enough to control, but a Duo bent on protecting someone he cared about, and in the case of Relena, someone he loves, was going to a fight they wish they never instigated. "Yes, we shall," he answered humorously; flashing yet again his 100watt smile.  
  
Unlike Duo; however, Heero was not as optimistic in his attitude. He knew quite well what those assassins could do; hell, he'd been the one to teach them some of the skills they were now utilizing. But the last vestige of his mind coerced him to look towards hope, telling him to trust in his friends and in his own abilities. _//I already know those two won't be much of a problem, but Todesengel itself is what concerns me.//_ He was silent once more.  
  


  
-to be continued-  
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Grrrrr! I'm getting so frustrated! My muse has problems, which ultimately leads to me having problems since she IS my muse! Argh! I wanted this fic to have more 'happy' moments, but she's been so depressed lately I've had a hard time writing 'happy' things. I'm doing my best trying to tap into my inner happiness but unfortunately I have none. I'm desperate to find something happy and I know where I could go... but I refuse to turn to those hyper, rabid, bishounen-obsessed, sugar-addicted, fan girls at school! I've known a few of them for years now and all I have to say is that they really scare me; they really do. Of all the things in the world that cause a chill to run down my spine, they make me freeze. The only thing that scares me more than that is the thought of telling the person I love that I love them and getting rejected (that's where a lot of Duo's feelings are coming from in this fic). I'm hoping that my muse can get her act together cause I'm not going to find another one; I've had this one since junior high and I'm not about to let her bail on me.  
  
Oh, as for the names of the five units, their meanings are: Gott=God, Teufel=Devil, Engel=Angel, Damon=Demon, and Heiliger=Saint. I wanted it to seem like a hierarchy of God, devils, angels, demons, and saints; I know that it might seem contradictory since they're assassins, but oh well. It's supposed to show that they think themselves higher than mortals, that they're above everyone else as well as the law.  



	9. The Calm Before the Storm

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are the property of Sotsu, Sunrise, TV Asahi, Bandai, etc. I don't own any part of it and I'm not making any money out of it either. This is purely for entertainment purposes, nothing more and nothing less.   
  
Warnings: Mild language and violence and a very long flashback. 2+R fic.  
  
A.N. I was hoping to make this the last chapter, but knowing how I never get what I really want, it didn't happen. Damn, I feel like I've been writing this fic forever, considering I started this around the same time as Zero Soul. I'm only finishing this now cause I wanted to finish Zero Soul first. Besides it was also due in part to some e-mail that sorta bordered on the lines of death threats, asking me to finish Zero Soul. They might have been crude, but there's nothing like a death threat to make someone type faster. Also, this chapter is a bit slow; it kinda reflects how my summer's been: boring. This chapter mainly serves to answer some questions that a lot of you may have about My Ojousan; not all of them though, mind you, just some.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 9: The Calm Before the Storm  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
Morning came with its usual cries of protest; when you've been through hell waking up is one of the hardest tasks to do. Right now, the Vice Foreign Minister was going through that exact same ordeal; this morning the light was not her friend. Whoever threw open the curtains was going to pay dearly; if not physically, then a verbal scolding would have to do. Groaning loudly she threw the covers over her head and proceeded to catch up with the departing Sandman. The nerve-racking events of the day prior had been extremely taxing and her young body had reached its limit last night when they snuck into the hotel. She'd never realized how difficult the task actually was since the movies always made it look so easy.  
  
Last night's events revolved around her and Trowa slipping, more like breaking, in through the kitchen's back doors where the food supplies were dropped off. It wasn't easy to do that and avoid the night guards at the same time; where were the guards when all the real criminals were around? Wait; at that particular moment they were the ones trying to break into the hotel so technically that did make them the criminals. Those stupid conference weeks always meant that security was heightened to protect the welfares of the diplomats and representatives from the different countries and colonies. Well, after the initial entry was accomplished, thinking of a way to make it up to Relena's room was a bit more intricate.  
  
With so many security cameras, the hallways and lobby of the building didn't allow much to go on without alerting the night patrol. That only left one method of actually getting to and inside her room; the ventilation ducts. Much to her displeasure, Relena was no longer 15 and unlike Trowa who had years of training, her body wasn't as flexible and didn't fit all too well inside the hollow metal shaft. On more than one occasion she found herself bumping her head, knees, elbows, as well as other body parts into hard steel. Yep, her body was sore this morning and it'd probably stay that way for the rest of the day and well into the next. She'd mused that if she had known what a Vice Foreign Minister had to put up with then she'd have said "no thanks".  
  
Well, after all the crawling and sneaking around and accidentally coming to the wrong room... more than once... they'd manage to find their way into her humble abode. Of course that wasn't without complications either. Weariness having shot her reflexes to hell, Relena wasn't sure which way was up or down and ended up falling on her rear rather than gracefully landing on her feet. In her mind she was certain that last night had been the worst one to date in her entire, albeit short, lifetime. There just wasn't anything more that fate could do to her... was there? She'd experienced the worst, right? Braved the fiercest storm? Just how could it be worse? There was nothing she could really think of to top it but knew she shouldn't be thanking her lucky stars just yet.  
  
As sleep began to reclaim her bruised body a frown crossed her face, the question of Heero and Duo's safety once again popped into her mind. After all her efforts to quiet them last night it seemed she just couldn't put the two out of her thoughts. The troubled look on Duo's face when he stormed out of warehouse, the things she and Heero had discussed, the fear in Duo's eyes when he barged in on the two of them, and the gunfire she heard as she and Trowa drove away from the warehouse. They were still alive, she could feel it inside her bones, but their actual condition was another matter. She didn't want to imagine them lying in a pool of blood, battered and bruised with haunted looks on their faces. She cringed at the image and buried her face into the sheets repeating to herself that they were going to be okay, her mantra eventually easing her into slumber.  
  


*****

  
"So, Heero," Duo huffed as he jumped over a large rock, "anything wrong? You've been awfully quiet... more so than usual. That's disturbing even for you." He waited for a reply, keeping pace with the other youth as they made their way over the hill. That would bring them into the section of the city where Relena's hotel was located then they'd finally get to work things out.  
  
It was already well past dawn and the two could see that the various businesses were starting to open which would provide them cover. With so many bodies roaming around the streets it would be hard to discern one recognizable figure from the next, but when one wants to find somebody, people start becoming clearly distinct individuals rather than one big mass. Hopefully they'd be lucky and elude the watch of their enemy. Speaking of their enemy, where the heck were they? Duo was sure they had no idea where Relena was headed, but the two should have spotted them by now. According to Heero, their one major flaw was their inability to stay out of sight.   
  
Chris, the easier going of the two, was never a guy for all that sneaking around business. He was always a man who preferred the sunshine and light breeze that accompanied the day; of course that never did suit his image as an assassin. But despite that and his demeanor, Chris was one of the best, his jovial nature served well to cover up the killer inside. As sick as it sounded at times, he took pride in what he did and always did it with a smile. Marcus was an opposite of sorts, fitting the bill of what an assassin should be. He was serious, unwavering, mysterious, succinct, and also downright ruthless. He was willing to do just about anything to accomplish his missions, get his pay, and come out on top of Engel. Even with all his talent his greatest failing was his insurmountable pride. The man didn't take kindly at all to defeat and having been up started by a nineteen-year-old newly recruited rookie for the position of Teufel's leader really left a mark on his pride.  
  
If there was anyone Heero had to worry about it would be Marcus; the man had it in for him the first moment he stepped inside Todesengel. The Japanese youth had been the one who unknowingly stole Teufel's leadership position from right under his nose. In fact, Marcus was already considered second under Heero; that was a title not easily gained. The older man also suffered humiliation after humiliation every time Heero outdid him during training and field practices. When you summed up all the things he had against the ex-pilot it was no surprise at all that he wanted the Japanese's head.  
  
"I'm just thinking about how I'm going to deal with those two as well as the rest of Todesengel..." he finally replied, still in deep contemplation. "Wufei's not going to be able to handle them by himself so I want to be able to finish this and get over there to Germany to help him." Hearing nothing from the mechanic Heero continued on with his thoughts, "If he left yesterday afternoon then he would have returned to Earth and Preventer Headquarters late last night. Knowing them and all the procedures they have to go through, he probably won't even leave for his assignment for another day or two... That doesn't give us much time."  
  
Duo kicked a nearby rock and exhaled deeply before slumping onto the ground, yelling over his shoulder at his still walking companion. "Oi, Heero, stop before I lose you." He saw the other halt before making his way back.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked, frustrated, "We have to keep going in order to rendezvous with them."  
  
Seized by anger Duo was about to shout at him, but he saw the worry in those dark blue eyes and felt himself calm down. "*sigh* Look, Heero, there's no point, they're not going to move on us and if they do they'd inform us of it. Besides, we've been walking nonstop since last night and I don't know about you, but I don't function well in battle when I haven't even gotten an hour of sleep. If you want to keep on going then it's fine by me, I already know where Relena's hotel is located, but even you're human, Heero. We're no good to Relena if we can't even prevent ourselves from falling asleep."  
  
Heero clenched his fists, his entire body shaking with anger, but then he saw how useless it was to argue. Bringing his hands back down to his sides, he took a seat across from Duo. "You're right," he admitted sullenly, "I'm a bit tired myself. Working without sleep for the past three days isn't healthy."  
  
"Three days?!" the American shouted incredulously, eyeing his comrade as if he'd sprouted another head. "It's a wonder you haven't just dropped from sheer exhaustion yet." He laughed and sprawled himself onto the grass, staring up to the very heights of the colony. He took in the painted skies, the artificial light, and the unnatural breeze blowing across his face. Closing his eyes, he inhaled the scent of the fresh morning grass and wildflowers that surrounded him. It was so peaceful right at that moment that he wondered how anything like their situation was even happening at all. "Oi, Heero..." he found himself asking, "do you think there'll ever be an end to this?"  
  
The Japanese youth was silent, taking a quick glance at the ex-Shinigami before turning his attention to the same painted skies. "I've been wondering about that myself for years... In my opinion nothing ever ends..."  
  
"Thanks for cheering me up, buddy," Duo remarked sarcastically, opening his eyes to catch sight of a sparrow flying by.  
  


*****

  
"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" Marcus shouted as he kicked and punched, venting all his frustrations on a would-be-thief who tried to take his wallet. With a sadistic gleam in his green eyes he repeatedly decked the unfortunate young man across the face, left and right. Grabbing the guy by the shoulders he brought him close and forcefully kneed him in the gut. With a silent scream of pain the youth collapsed to the ground, wrapping his arms around his wiry frame, curling into a tight ball to protect himself. That did nothing to stop the older man as he continued to mercilessly kick him over and over again until the other fell unconscious.  
  
"Feeling any better?" Chris queried from where he leaned against the brick wall of a building, a weary expression on his face.  
  
Tired from his little distraction, the taller man breathed heavily as he attempted to recompose himself. Brushing the dirt off his shoulders and straightening his jacket and tie; Marcus greeted his partner with a satiated smile. "Yeah, I do actually." He took a deep breath and followed the younger man out of the alley and to the car they parked a block away.  
  
"So what's the plan from here on end? As I see it we have three Gundam pilots to deal with, two allies who aren't here to help, one mutineer, and no Vice Foreign Minister. It doesn't look good, does it?" He asked, looking over his shoulder to his lagging assassin.  
  
The older man shook his head and moved his hands to massage his temples. "Like I said before, it was a bad idea to take on this assignment." With agitated movements, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, placing one in his mouth as he continued to mumble. "Well, anyways... we can't go home, we can't call for backup, we can't tell Taylor, we have no leads as to where Darlian is, and we don't even know what that traitor has up his sleeves. Scheisse! I'm hating this mission more and more every minute!" His outburst surprised a lot of the pedestrians who, up till that point, were minding their own business. They stared at him with wide eyes, ceasing in their activities to discern what all the commotion was about.  
  
_//Ah, this is just beautiful.//_ Chris sighed inwardly and put on his most exasperated expression as he addressed the onlookers. "Well, you know we wouldn't be in this mess if you'd just swallow your damn pride and apologize to your girlfriend! But no, instead you have the two of us going to Gott knows where just to find a replacement for that stupid figurine!"  
  
That seemed to satisfy the audience they'd acquired who immediately resumed their daily routine. Patting his own back for his quick thinking, Chris gave the older man a superior grin as he walked by. "What _ **would**_ you do without me?"  
  
"Humph," Marcus snorted as he bumped shoulders with the blond, "Just exactly whom were you addressing back there? As I last recall, you were the one with the girlfriend not me."  
  
Sporting a mischievous grin Chris laughed at the comment and trailed his partner, heading once again towards their car. "You have to admit though that I saved us from being exposed." Noticing how Marcus reached into his various pockets, he dug into his own and pulled out a lighter. "Here," he said, tossing the object into his companion's waiting hands.  
  
The brunette took a couple of seconds to light the cigarette and smile contentedly when he took his initial puffs. Pocketing the lighter, he removed the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled smoke. "Speaking of girlfriends," he turned back to his companion, "how's it with you and Karen? You haven't been talking about her as much as you used to. Anything amiss between you two?"  
  
"Wie? Ah, well... she was kinda upset when she discovered that she wasn't assigned to this mission. Got a tad bit mad I was the one appointed and said she'd dance on my grave if I botched it up. I got the impression she really didn't want to be left behind," he remarked trailing off into a reminiscent tone.  
  
"You think? That woman of yours is not someone to be trifled with, you should keep that in mind," the older man advised, exhaling another breath of smoke.  
  
"Karen? Nah, she just likes to kid around; she'd never harm me in the least, she loves me too much," Chris replied confidently, "Besides she didn't have much to say in the matter, the boss had her sent on a different mission; some manager or something who was getting too cocky for his own good. Since she's not one to argue with the boss she just dropped the subject and wished me luck... said I'd need it if I was really going to kill Darlian."  
  
Marcus digested those words with much thought before commenting. "Hey, do you think she could be the cause for our slump?"  
  
Caught off guard by those words, the shorter man shrugged his shoulders replying casually, "It wouldn't surprise me; she's not above using voodoo or anything of the sort." They left their conversation at that and remained silent until they reached their car and drove off, hoping to spot something along the way that would aid them in their quest for their missing target.  
  


*****

  
"Relena, wake up," Trowa said, nudging the sleeping diplomat's shoulder. "C'mon you have to get up and eat, you'll be needing your strength should we have to make another escape." He nudged her again and saw her lashes flutter open, her ocean blue eyes scanning over him and then the room.  
  
Lifting sore limbs to remove her blanket, she got out of bed and stood up. Her legs wobbled automatically but Trowa's quick reflexes saved her from a fall. "Thanks, Trowa, I can't believe I'm still tired. Ow, my whole body still hurts," she cringed slightly as she felt the bruises on her arm. It was only a faint purplish color now but sore nonetheless. "What time is it?" she asked looking up into his stoic face.  
  
"A quarter till eleven," he replied emotionless, helping her into the dining area where a covered platter was awaiting the young woman's approach. "I called room service and had them send up lunch. Do you mind?"  
  
After seating herself onto a stool and working the kinks out of her joints she shook her head. "I don't mind at all, it's not as if I don't have the money to pay for it. Care to join me?" she queried when she uncovered the sterling silver dome, revealing a rather large spread of food. "Trust me when I say that I'll never be able to finish this."  
  
"As you wish," he whispered, smiling a bit as he stared at the diplomat while she divided up their meal. _//She's trying to be so strong during this entire ordeal. It's a wonder why she hasn't broken down into tears yet. Most people would be bawling like children at this point but she takes everything in stride... Hm, well this is the woman who did stare Heero Yuy down when he threatened to kill her. I guess there's not much to be scared of if one can survive that.//_ Broken out of his thoughts he was handed a plate full of pasta. He thanked her with a nod and slowly began to eat, not taking his eyes of the girl who seemed to smile every time their eyes met. _//I can see why the world depends on her so much; with such strength I wonder if it's possible for her to continue at the rate she's going... I hope either Heero or Duo will be able to support you when you come to need someone to lean on.//_  
  
"How do you like it Trowa?" Relena asked, interrupting his train of thought.  
  
"It's very good," he replied in monotone, "I'm glad I didn't order anything I'd regret later on. Most of the items on the menu were things I'd never even heard of." He heard her laugh and joined in with a low chuckle himself.  
  


*****

  
It had already been an hour and the two were still on the grass-covered hill, resting tired limbs and relaxing in the artificial light. It was a stark contrast to what they did the days previous, lurking in shadows and sneaking around in dark alleys. For that fleeting moment the two imagined they weren't in their current situation, that they weren't the people they were, that they were normal and enjoying the day like all the other citizens of the colony. Turning his head to the side, Duo caught sight of children playing near a tree. There were two boys and a little girl; if not for a difference in hair color, the mechanic could have sworn that they resembled Heero, Relena, and himself. He smiled and wondered that if there had been no war, Alliance, OZ, or Romefeller, if they could have been those three kids right there.  
  
The children's laughter got louder as they neared, the three playing a game of tag. As they chased each other around the flower field Duo became sadden. _//It must be great not to have a care in the world. I wish I'd been able to laugh as freely as they do now... Well, no use living in the past. What's done is done... At least I had a part in creating a world these kids can live in.// _"It's great seeing children smile, ne?" he mused to no one in particular. "I swear, just seeing them like this makes all the shit we go through worth it."  
  
"What'll make all this shit worth it is seeing Taylor pay for trying to kill Relena," Heero muttered, taking out his gun to inspect it's condition although he already knew it was pristine. Not having control over the situation made him nervous and his hands worked without accordance with his brain.   
  
The American's eyes went wide as he shifted his view from Heero and his gun to the children still at play, "Heero, put that gun away," he whispered, motioning his hands frantically about. "Do you want to scare those kids or something? You're the one who's always talking about not being conspicuous, so put that stupid thing away." Seeing the other continue he knew his words fell on deaf ears.  
  
"She's already got enough to deal with; men like Taylor who only care about themselves can't even see the harm they're inflicting on others," he spat, his jaws clenched with anger. "Relena's doing all she can for the people of the Earth and colonies even though it sometimes makes her sick, drains her of all her energy," his voice trailed, "even though she hardly ever gets time to eat, sleep, or read a book. Men like him don't care that she's resigned herself into servitude just so children like them don't have to follow the same path we did... Dammit! It's not fair." His voice was so quiet Duo barely heard it.  
  
For once, Duo didn't have a quick response, but instead cocked his head to where the children should have been, but saw they were gone. Doubting whether or not that entire scene was nothing more than a delusion conjured by a mind wracked with fatigue, he decided to let it go. "My, aren't we mad?"  
  
Throwing the gun down onto grass the youth's shoulders slumped and he drew his knees up to rest his arms on them. His body shook slightly from a mixture of both confusion and exhaustion and he raked his hands through his hair to gain whatever was left of his sanity. "More than anything, I'm angry with myself," he admitted in a quiet tone. "She trusted me, placed her faith in me, and all I've done was run away. When she needed my help, when she could do nothing but cry, when those political bastards cornered her into a wall, when she just needed someone to hold her... I've done nothing but bring her pain..."  
  
"You still care about her, don't you?" Duo asked keeping his face turned away.  
  
Hearing the sad tone in his friend's voice he resigned himself to be truthful. "Yes, I do... but there's no way I can bring her the happiness she deserves." Retrieving the gun, he held it in his hands and looked on with sadness. "My life will forever revolve around war and its many other forms... but don't think I haven't tried to let it go, I have. Yet I'm always drawn back into the tempest, no matter how much I try to resist. You, however, you've stayed away... it doesn't tempt you..."  
  
"I just don't think about it," he replied, shrugging his shoulders, "It's just not a topic that pops up in my everyday life now."  
  
"Well, it's my life."   
  
Nothing more was said for the longest time and for Duo, that was uncomfortable. Talking kept the demons at bay and he liked that. "Oi, Heero," Duo suddenly thought, not knowing why he was about to ask the question he had in mind but just knowing that it was there. "How long have you been here on L2?"  
  
"Ever since the conference started," the Japanese youth replied, a bit suspicious, "Why ask?"  
  
The thoughts were becoming harder and harder to differentiate in his sleep-weary mind. "Well, did you know Relena and I attended the circus?"  
  
"Yeah, that's where I got the idea to recruit Trowa for the mission," he answered getting frustrated by the questions that seemed to have no real point or certain destination. "Just what are you getting at?"  
  
"Were you there at the circus watching us then?"  
  
The exasperated youth sighed, "Yes, so where's your point?"  
  
"That would mean you saw us eating on that bench right?"  
  
"Duo..." he seethed menacingly.  
  
"You saw her with the Popsicle too, didn't you?" he asked looking up at the other youth who had mysteriously gone stiff and silent. A faint blush spread across his face and Duo confirmed his answer. He chuckled loudly at the ex-pilot's flustered actions as he attempted to dismiss the earlier comment. "Hahahaha, don't deny it Heero, you're face is redder than a cherry!"  
  
Heero growled dangerously, fighting against temptation to just shoot the hysterical mechanic. Instead he stood up and started walking towards the city, calling to Duo over his shoulder, "I think we've rested enough." Not wanting to deal with any protest he quickened his pace and was satisfied when he heard Duo getting up to chase after him.  
  


*****

  
_//It's been over 36 hours since they last contacted me; where the hell are they? Did they even finish the job?// _Taylor worried, pacing around his office yet again. The past two days had almost been enough to send the man into a nervous breakdown. Things weren't going as he planned since the Vice Foreign Minister had yet to be killed. With all the other diplomats and politicians believing that she was sick, they'd decided to forgo the actual discussion concerning his country since the young woman possessed strong opinions about the matter. Because of that his plans were momentarily halted, the only thing that would remedy that was her actual death. However, if things kept on going the way they were, they'd probably just call the entire thing off if she died, as a way to pay their respects to the young diplomat.  
  
"They would do that," he muttered to himself, finally stopping to take a seat in his cushioned chair. "I swear that girl leads them around by the nose! To think that some of the most powerful men in the world are bowing their heads down to a mere girl who's too naïve to comprehend what makes this world go round. Humph! They're nothing but a bunch of spineless pushovers."  
  
*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*  
  
He paused then reached out to switch on the videophone. "Yes, what is it?" he asked looking at the dark haired man standing behind a counter.  
  
The other's eyes shifted nervously down onto the papers he held in his hands, then back to the overweight politician. "Well, sir, like you requested me to do I called to inform you that Ms. Darlian is back in her hotel suite."  
  
Those words jolted the large man forward, his face now close to the screen. "Are you sure about that?" he asked anxiously.  
  
"Um," the younger man hesitated, "at around ten thirty, there was a call from her suite asking for lunch to be brought to that room. As far as I know, she's the only one besides the maids who's got a key card to the room. Would you like for me to tell her that you wanted to speak with her?"  
  
Dismissing it with a shake of his head he addressed the front desk worker, "No thank you, I'll be doing that later in the evening. That'll be all for now." He switched the device off and reached inside his blazer's inner pocket to retrieve his cell phone. Turning to a number already stored inside, he waited through two rings before the other line was picked up. "This is Taylor, do you have any idea where Darlian is? No? Well, here's a hint for you, she's at her hotel suite apparently eating lunch. I don't know what you three have been up to but I want her dead now!" He hung up quickly and his mind debated over his next actions. Wavering minutely, he got up and left his temporary office, dashing out the door dead set on where he was headed.  
  


*****

  
"Geez, what's up with him?" Chris remarked staring at his cell, a dumbfounded look adorning his face.  
  
His partner turned to look at him asking, "Who was it?" before stopping at a red light.  
  
Leaning back in his seat, arm out the window he casually answered, "The fat bastard who's got us going around the entire city on a wild goose chase, trying to kill the hardest woman to kill in history."  
  
"What did he have to say?" the older assassin asked starting up the car again.  
  
"Well," the younger began taking up a more comfortable position, "it turns out Darlian is back in her hotel suite. That's not much a drive from here, is it? We could start heading there now, or would you rather we get some lunch first? There's supposed to be a fast food place about two blocks away."  
  
With a thoughtful expression he debated over which to choose, duty or hunger. A second later his mind was made up and he grinned at his partner, "As I see it, an assassin with an empty stomach can only do a half-ass job. We'll get drive-thru so we won't waste time."  
  
"Sounds good to me, lets go."  
  


*****

  
"Oi, Heero," Duo piped up again as they reached an intersection, stopping at the red light along with enormous crowd.  
  
"What is it now?" he asked, agitated beyond belief.  
  
"Just wondering," he began putting his hands inside his leather jacket, "Exactly how did you get into Todesengel? You never really told me how you did it, just that you got in."  
  
Fighting against the memories that threatened to overwhelm, Heero swallowed hard and shook his head. "There aren't many paths you can take if you want to get into Todesengel. Either you're well known and get recruited by them... or you prove to them that you're worth investing in."  
  
Taking in those words, Duo quickened his pace until he was side by side with the Japanese youth. "I'm guessing since they've never even heard of you, you had to prove yourself," the American assessed. "How?"  
  
Once again Heero became quiet, sorting out the hazy memories of a year ago. "While I was hacking into some record files from Taylor's country I was able to intercept one of their missions. It was an e-mail sent from the country's offices consisting of a detailed profile of the target along with confirmation of the target's location. He was a rising politician, quickly gaining the popularity of the people from Taylor's country. He was harmless really, but they knew that his stature would grow with time and they didn't want to take the chance, especially when he stood against them. When one is unsure of their allies, the best course of action is to eliminate those in question..."  
  
_*FLASHBACK*_  
  
_The evening celebration being held at the prime minister's mansion was slowly dying down as the guests gathered into a large crowd in the middle of the ballroom. The dining and dancing done with, the young man newly elected to office was to deliver a speech on his victory. As he walked the many finely dressed men and women halted in their conversations, clapping as they looked towards the stage to see the man making his way to the microphone. All was silent; he was about to accept his future, hold in his hands the fate of his country, but destiny had other plans for him. For destiny was a means to an end, a tool to be manipulated and distorted by those in power._  
  
_Heero had had enough of destiny, of being led in life by something that was supposedly written out in the stars. Are men not the masters of their own destinies? He was not going to be controlled in such ways any longer and neither was he going to allow the same to happen to those who were oblivious to it. With the stolen invitation safely tucked away in his tuxedo pocket along with his gun he made his way up the stairs. No one noticed him, but that was how he wanted it. To be nothing more than a passing breeze, a shadow cast on the wall along with the many other. He was like a hunter stalking his prey, silent, focused, determined, and deadly; however, his prey tonight was also a skilled hunter. //Things are really going to get interesting tonight.// He thought, turning right to make his way up another flight._  
  
_As the crowd focused their full attention on the handsome young man, Heero focused his onto the dark form hiding behind a curtain on the third floor. Yet that was not the only form that entered his field of vision; turning to the left and right he saw more lurking shadows. //They sent an entire team to take out this guy? He's as harmless as a fly and they send five men to kill him? I guess that means they're not the elite teams, they'd only send one. Which makes this a mission of small importance.// Not having lost any of his stealth over the years he matched their silence and moved into a more convenient position where he could get a clear shot at all of them._  
  
_With a piece of cloth covering the gun, the assassin leaned forward past the curtain to take aim as Heero did the same, making sure the silencer was in place. It wasn't in his best interest to go and start a riot before he made contact with the secret organization. //I can do this.// Clearing his mind of all doubts, he swallowed, closed his eyes, and fired. His bullet ricocheted off the other gun, making a noise easily drowned out by the politician's speech. The gunman's head shot up and he honed in on Heero's position locking his eyes with cold Prussian blue. They spoke of death to the assassin and he signaled the other four about their discovery. As quickly as they came, they were gone and Heero gave chase._  
  
_Within moments he was out onto the balcony, spying the fleeing offenders lowering themselves to the ground on ropes. He smirked at their precautions and inhaled before taking off into a dash. Nearing the edge he put all his power into his legs and leapt off the platform. The night air greeted him but refused to keep him. So he fell from its loving caress, landing neatly on the freshly fallen snow. The cold he could ignore, but not the knives that flew at him. Swiveling his head left and right the knives contacted only air._  
  
_He sprang quickly off the ground, running to tackle the closest opponent within reach; a hard swing at its head with the gun still in his hand delivered him into unconsciousness. Hearing the light footsteps around him, he tuned in, but distraction came with a passing bird. That cost him and he found himself flat on the ground wrestling with a large body. The faceless opponent swung at him and Heero swore his head would fall off with another blow. Using the strength in his legs, he kicked out and the other was sent reeling through the air. The large man moved to get up and his eyes widened in horror when he saw Heero flying at him, blue fire screaming with controlled rage._  
  
_Much to his good fortune, he was able to roll backwards, dodging the attack in time. Heero landed with both feet planted firmly in the area where his opponent once occupied, but swiftly recovered and spun around kicking as he got up, landing a direct hit to the side of the older man's face. That only left him with three more enemies and the adrenalin coursing through his veins told him he could take them all out._  
  
_Without warning a garrote wire wrapped around his throat from behind. Instinctively his hands went to his neck, groping at taut filament. He smelled blood, his own, and reached for the cuff of his pants, lifting it up and withdrawing the knife he's strapped to his lower leg. Flipping it upright he cut the annoying wire before bringing the knife down into his aggressor's thigh. Not surprisingly, he screamed in pain, but his howling was cut short as Heero elbowed him in the face, and he greeted his other companions in slumber._  
  
_A sound whizzed through the air, and before Heero was able to discern what it was, a sharp pain grazed his temple. His head jerked back and he felt the wetness dripping down his brow and into his eyes. The crimson liquid blinded him temporarily but was enough for him to lose his advantage. He couldn't see and the pounding in his brain was drowning out all the noise in the background. Searing pain sliced through his left arm suddenly and he fell to one knee, clutching his injury. He pivoted his head left and right frantically, sensing the moving shadows but unable to pinpoint their location. He was losing too much blood, that wasn't good, so he had to make his next few moves count._  
  
_Hearing a twig snap to his left he took his gun and fired in that direction. The next sound that greeted his ears was a groan and then a loud thud as the man hit the snow. Vertigo soon consumed him and he fell on his side, gasping for air and attempting to calm his racing heart. He saw lights floating above him and his vision blurred as he stared at the night sky. //This can't be from blood lost. I shouldn't be feeling like this in such a short time... it's got to be something else... but what?// A jab of pain struck his arm. //The knives! They must have been poisoned... This isn't good.// As the seconds flew by, the pounding in his head dulled out and the individuals sounds were amplified. He heard the rustling leaves in the trees, the cawing birds, the winter wind, and the muffled happy sounds coming from inside the building. They were clear and distinct, along with the pit pat of footsteps making its way towards him._  
  
_With constrained efforts, he pulled himself up, ignoring the dizziness, the urge to vomit, and scanned his surroundings. A glint of light caught his attention and he saw an object being hurled in his direction. It took a second before something clicked in his mind and he took off in a mad run. His efforts were wasted when the explosive went off, the blast propelling the ex-pilot forward. If the party goers hadn't been aware of the outside activities up till that point, they were sure to notice it now. Heero landed hard, sliding through the snow until the momentum gave out and he stopped a good ten meters away from the blast. He coughed, spitting out blood, and his mind stood transfixed on the way the crimson hue contrasted with the pure white snow._  
  
_He didn't notice the form looming over him until it lashed out with a hard kick to his injured arm. Heero howled in pain and rolled over, gazing at the silhouetted figure against the full moon. It was like Death coming to escort him to the other world. As its claws came down a voice from deep within screamed and Heero's hand shot out, grabbing the other's arm. His opponent was startled and tried to break free but the Japanese's iron grip was like a vise. Horror washed over the older man as the grip tightened and he stared terrified into calm, controlled, midnight blue eyes. *snap* The assassin's mind froze when he heard the crack and the pain in his arm didn't register as he saw it bend at an impossible angle. Heero took that moment of confusion to spring to his feet and head-butt his opponent as he was coming up._  
  
_All was quiet as he stood on the snowy field surrounded by unconscious bodies and fallen debris. That was it; it was all over. He'd defeated his enemies... but as he felt his mind haze over he knew he'd be the one to lose in the end. As the poison coursed through his veins he felt an emptiness overwhelm him. //I can't believe this is the end...// He hung his head and waited for the inevitable, for death. But his ears picked up the sounds of an approaching body and turned to find a middle-aged man clad in a dark suit. He whistled, assessing the damage, both in property and manpower, before setting his sights to the stoic youth._  
  
_"I must say, that was quite a spectacular sight," he said in awe, "You must be someone very special if you were able to take out an entire unit belonging to Todesengel."_  
  
_"Todesengel..." Heero breathed out not quite believing what he heard._  
  
_"Of course," he said offhandedly, the wind tousling his graying brown hair, "the unit you defeated was only slightly above standard. I'm not sure how you would've done against Engel or Teufel though, but," his eyes held a certain fascinated gleam, "seeing how you fought back there, I think you would've even posed a threat to Gott. Hell," he chuckled, "the poison barely did anything to you at all. Oh, speaking of poison, if you don't want to die, you'd better come here and get the antidote."_  
  
_Heero stood his ground, eyeing the older man wearily. Either the poison was clouding his judgment or it had taken its toll, the Japanese youth refused to budge. "Fine then, I'll go to you." He casually walked over to him, confident that the ex-pilot wouldn't run; the poison had made sure of that. Once at his side, he took hold of the Japanese's arm, taking a device out of his own pocket. Rolling up Heero's sleeves, he placed it on the disgruntled boy's arm and pressed a button._  
  
_Heero winced, but the pain was only fleeting. His arm was released and the former pilot spent a few moments staring at his arm then looked up into the man's strange golden brown eyes and asked, "Why?"_  
  
_"Because you have potential," was all the man said as he placed a hand on Heero's shoulder, escorting the youth out of the snowy courtyard._  
  
_*END FLASHBACK*_  
  
"Wow, Heero," Duo whispered, digesting the story his friend had just related to him. "That must have been one hell of a ride for you. What happened to the team you took out?" he asked curiously.   
  
"Heiliger? They weren't caught or anything and managed to find their way back. None of them were exactly happy to see me when they returned though," he said, smirking as he remembered the faces of the pissed off assassins.  
  
"I can imagine why. Oi, look," he shouted excitedly, "there's Relena's hotel!" He prepared to run but Heero held him back by the hem of his leather jacket.  
  
"Wait, look," the other youth stated, pointing to a figure entering the hotel, "There's Taylor." Scanning the hotel grounds he spotted other figures making their way to the building. "And there's Chris and Marcus," he noted with a toss of his head, seeing them exit their car about a block away.  
  
"This isn't good, ne?" Duo gulped, forcing a weak smile.  
  
"No, it isn't."  
  


  
-to be continued-  
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You may be asking yourself 'Why are those assassins taking their situation so lightly? Aren't they supposed to be the best?' Well, it's because they're the best that they don't have to worry. Also, it doesn't look like I'm going to finish any time soon. Why? Well, when I first started writing it I had this really clear idea of what I wanted but somewhere along the line the concept was lost. In order to get where I wanted, I'm going to have to make it a bit longer than intended. How long? Just until I get it back on track. The original intent was a romantic comedy and so far it's not quite that.  
  
I really don't wanna deal with this anymore but don't get me wrong though, I like this fic; it's progressed very well since I first started writing it. I'm just so edgy cause I don't have much time left with my muse. What's separating us? College! I'm going to be in San Diego and she's staying here in Long Beach; that's around a hundred and something miles away! I don't want to give her up but I have no choice in the matter so I'll make the most of our remaining time together; that's all I can do at this moment.   



	10. Headlong into the Melee

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are the property of Sotsu, Sunrise, TV Asahi, Bandai, etc. I don't own any part of it and I'm not making any money out of it either. This is purely for entertainment purposes, nothing more and nothing less.   
  
Warnings: Mild language and violence. 2+R fic.  
  
A.N: Yeah, I know, a lot of you are out for my head. But right now I'm too depressed to really care so the future state of this fic has just become questionable. Many of you also want this fic to be done with and for those screaming for more Duo/Relena moments will just have to deal with my writing. I'm not that great when it comes to dealing with my emotions and I'm not a romantic but I'm great when it comes to describing unrequited love. Hell, in Zero Soul Heero and Relena barely had any real moments together and the thing at the end of ch.15pt.2 couldn't even be classified as a real kiss. I think this and the next chapter will be the last, but that's hoping for too much.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 10: Headlong into the Melee  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
It became a race to the top with the grand prize being the Vice Foreign Minister. Taylor was no longer going to stay back and wait for results; he'd monitor the diplomat for as long as necessary until the assassins did their job. Being more than out of shape, he took the elevator, keeping in mind that the 6th floor was his destination. Heero and Duo had decided the stairs would provide more cover and began climbing its many flights with Marcus and Chris just a few steps ahead. Only the two former Gundam pilots were aware of the other's presence, giving them an upper hand in the matter. The hotel goers and staff raised a few eyebrows but the true nature of the incidences flew over their heads.  
  
The five were ready, each armed with a gun and goal to fulfill. No more setbacks, no more minor technicalities, surprises, or regrets, just an end. It was only the afternoon but they knew not to take things for granted. The past few days had been unpredictable for them all and if it continued, they'd all be in for one hell of a ride. Feet barely contacted with carpeted stairs, as they got closer to the top; each step summoning the presence of Death. Whatever weariness or hunger that once resided within were now gone, satiated by thoughts of victory.  
  
_//Two more floors.//_ Taylor thought, looking up periodically to the flickering lights. The brief interlude allowed him an instance of reflection as he began to truly consider his actions. For the first time since the operation began, he thought of the consequences. Getting rid of the Vice Foreign Minister would secure his access to an army, which would be enough for his country to win over their neighbors. But then again, her absence would cause instability; he had to admit she gave the people, his included, a sense of peace and security. Her death would be a quick solution, but in the long run, it would bring untold calamity to the solar system. His mini war would escalate into something bigger and spread like wildfire into the other nations. But this time around, there would be no Gundams to save the people from destruction and no Vice Foreign Minister to mend the broken pieces.  
  
_//Why the hell am I thinking about this now? That stupid girl, she's getting to me. This is for the good of my country. With all those extra resources we can support our growing population and maintain self-defense. This is the right thing to do...// _His nervousness intensified and sweat trickled down his face. Wringing his hands together, he reasoned it was the seriousness of the matter getting to him. He'd never been this close to death, and on such a personal level too, till this point. Assassins his party hired carried out the majority of the dirty work his offices called for, independents and organizations alike were their employees. _//I just need to calm down and breathe. Once the job's done, I can go back to Earth with the good news and we can resume reconstruction... Yeah, everything will be fine.//_  
  
He inhaled once more before the elevator doors opened. Pausing shortly, he scanned the floor; there had to be a place he could conceal himself in. His eyes roamed the area twice over before he spotted a far-off room whose door was ajar. It was opposite the diplomat's suite and provided him with good surveillance of the area. He smiled, confident in the belief that some higher power really loved him. With a short walk he slipped inside while backs were turned and locked it once he was successfully in. _//Now I wait.//_  
  


*****

  
Hardly tired, Todesengel's finest jumped over the last two steps, bringing them to their desired floor. They weren't alone though; numerous hotel employees were bustling about fulfilling the many room service orders. With spectators around, their job would be more than difficult; heroics might come into play. Brandishing his gun with much fervor, Chris smiled, staring down anyone foolish enough to interfere. As expected the workers scattered, running away to protect the lives they loved so much, their own. "Always does the trick," he remarked, grinning wickedly. The other dismissed the gesture with a roll of his eyes and continued to lead the way towards room 121.  
  
"When we get there, I'll pick the lock then you'll sneak inside and secure the room," he relayed, taking out his gun and replacing its clip. He wanted to make sure he didn't run out of bullets too early in the game; he normally wouldn't need it, but the offhand chance of his former leader showing up was highly probable. "If she's right in front of you, just shoot so we'll finally be able to go back home. But I'm certain there's someone with her; besides our former leader and that mechanic, there was also another person at the warehouse last night. I'm sure of it. Got that?" He looked left and a nod confirmed his question. _//Finally, this damn week's going to end!//_  
  
Heero and Duo quickly appeared an instant later, unbeknownst to the previous assassins; either they didn't see or they didn't care. They'd been pushing their luck till that point but they pressed further on. Heero, much to Duo protests, drew his gun and fired. The shot hit the space between the blond and brunette and their heads shot up like deer caught in headlights. Heero and Marcus's eyes locked, cold; the challenge had been issued and the fire within them burned with greater intensity. With a superior smirk, the assassin turned the knob and pushed himself inside, savoring the look of helplessness and annoyance in the Japanese's gaze.  
  
An odd feeling crept over the two with their entrance. The room was dim, the curtains weren't drawn and the lights were off; from what they saw, it seemed abandoned. Marcus signaled for Chris to turn on the lights so they'd get a clear idea of what they were shooting at, but to their displeasure, the switch wasn't working. Their cushion time had been depleted and with ready trigger fingers they greeted their guests with a hail of bullets.  
  
"Try the bedroom, she's probably in there!" Marcus yelled over the sounds of gunfire, broken glass, and splintering wood.  
  
"Right," the younger man acknowledged, crouching as he ran towards the corridor to the sleeping chambers. Occasionally he'd fire a few shots, ducking and covering his head just in time when the favor was returned. Safely within the small hallway, he noticed the bedroom door was slightly ajar, allowing him a peek inside. Like the main area it was dark, containing an eerie presence that Chris couldn't shake. With his hand on the knob, he inched forward noiselessly. He began seeing more of the interior with every step, yet it still remained unclear what was inside.  
  
With a start the door was pulled forward and the young man lost his balance. Lucky for him Trowa decked him at just the right angle allowing him to maintain equilibrium. The clown also graciously added a right hook before grabbing hold of the upper door frame, lifting himself up to kick out with both legs. That sent the assassin to the floor and Trowa was on him before the man could regain his bearings. They wrestled, Trowa struggling to loosen the other's grip on the gun while Chris concentrated on delivering blow after blow to the performer's face and chest.  
  
Back in the main quarter the three were in a deadlock; Duo was close to empty, and left without any more clips, he'd resorted to throwing anything within reach. Heero tried conserving what little ammo he had left, attempting to engaged in hand to hand combat, but first needing to deplete the other's supply. He became a decoy for those bullets, sprinting left and right to attract their attention. When he heard the commotion from the sleeping quarters his mind froze leaving him open to a bullet that burrowed into his left shoulder. With his mind solely set on the task at hand, he barely even grunted against the pain. Instead he lunged forward, tackling the older man who quickly lashed out in response.  
  
"Duo!" he seethed, gritting his teeth but refusing to concede to the pain, "Go help Trowa!" His hands were secured around Marcus's in a death-like grip.  
  
Not needing to be told twice, he ran leaving Heero to deal with the assassin. The mechanic knew the young man could take care of himself, the experiences they went through together as teenagers showed him just how strong the Japanese was. Hell, he barely made a sound when the American first shot at him and he'd even survived being blown up on more than one occasion. This was a walk in the park for the former Zero pilot, what did he care about a few gunshot wounds?_ //Sometimes I think he's a robot instead of human.//_ But that thought was easily abandoned when he reached his other ally in the bedroom.  
  
Trowa had been able to wrestle the gun out of the older man's hand, but he'd paid the price for it. One look at his cut lip, bleeding temple and various bruises, and Duo could see that he'd exhausted much of his energy. His breaths came in shallow gasps and he had a hard time focusing on his enemy, the other clearly having outmatched him in strength. Yet, now that he had both his gun and other's he was calling the shots. Cautiously he glanced at Duo and motioned him to go further into the room. Duo complied and he soon found Relena; she was unharmed but the fear in her eyes left her immobilized. There was no more time to waste, Trowa knew he wouldn't be able to escape with Relena; he'd be unreliable as a bodyguard in his current condition. _//Duo's more than capable of protecting her. Heero would feel the same as I do on this matter.// _He reasoned to himself, clearing the fogginess that threatened to consume.  
  
Moving warily over towards his two friends, he grabbed at a pile of what looked to be sheets and wire twined together and tossed it to the mechanic. The American soon realized that it was a makeshift rope, fashioned out of bed sheets and cable, a bit flimsy in appearance and questionable in strength._ //So that's why the power's not working right now, but... how did he know?//_ He pondered, then recalled the shot Heero fired prior to the enemy's infiltration._ //That's what he was doing when he fired at them. Heero wanted to warn Trowa about their presence!// _  
  
"Here, Duo, use this to get out," the clown ordered; he coughed and winched as pain bolted through his chest.   
  
"Huh?" Duo asked perplexed, "What am I supposed to do with this?"  
  
Trowa gave one of his rare smiles in an effort to forget the hurt and looked at his comrade. "As of now, our primary means of escape are blocked and I doubt you'll make it out the front door unharmed if Heero is fighting near there. So, think you're up for a little fresh air?"  
  
Duo understood and tied one end to the dresser leg before grabbing Relena's wrist, taking off for the window. If the furniture was as heavy as it looked, they'd be fine and hopefully the rope would hold out as well. Opening the glass panels he perched at its edge with one foot on the sill and the other planted firmly on the floor. "Hold on tight, 'Jousan," he instructed. He gave a reassuring smile and placed her arms around his neck while he secured an arm around her thin waist. Holding tight to both the rope and the diplomat he jumped forward, propelling himself through the air with their added weight. The rope soon became taut and the recoil almost made Duo lose his grip.  
  
"Okay, 'Jousan, cover yourself up, we're about to crash," he whispered into her ear. Feeling her head nestle itself into the crook of his neck, he nuzzled her hair and savored the faint smell of flowers. Closing his eyes and doing his best to shield Relena, he swung his body and the rope arched back towards the hotel. With his legs outstretched they contacted glass, easily cracking its surface as they crashed through the floor below Relena's room. Once Duo's feet touched the carpet he instinctively sprang forward so they'd land away from the hazardous shards of glass.  
  
The occupant of the room, a middle-aged woman wearing nothing but a towel, screamed bloody murder when they nearly took her down with them. Duo immediately got up, blushed, and apologized, "Ah, sorry 'bout the mess uh ma'am," then proceeded to help Relena, "C'mon, 'Jousan, we have to get going now." They left the woman there dazed and confused, wondering if that blonde girl was the famous Vice Foreign Minister or just a hallucination. Before long she snapped out of her surprise and fainted. Both were unaware of the figure already close behind, distance just shy of being detected.  
  


*****

  
Heero noticed his injuries were beginning to hinder him when he failed to dodge a right jab. With staggered movements he was slowly being pushed into a corner by a flurry of punches. He had to keep his mind off the pain if he wanted to stand a chance, he couldn't afford distractions. With lightening fast movements he intercepted a blow to his head, catching the arm then pushing against it till his opponent was at the wall. He hopped back a step, raising his hands to grab Marcus' head, gripping and bringing it down to contact with his knee. The older man's head seemingly bounced back before his whole body dropped to the floor, but that did little to disable him. In a flash he was back on his feet, fists raised and ready to answer whatever punches came his way.  
  
On the other hand, Heero had not the strength to continue, his wounds, the exhaustion, the three days without sleep, he'd reach the end of his rope. Looking up he saw Marcus ready himself to strike but at the last second he was jerked away by Chris. The blond had been able to elude Trowa's watch, kicking the youth into the wall long enough to make his exit. Their target had fled once again and fighting those two would only guarantee great bodily harm. With so many fantastic options to choose from, Chris saw the front door as being the most practical means of escape and took his comrade along. He heard Marcus cuss at him for dispersing the fight and swiveled his head. "Do you have a death wish or something? Nothing short of a silver bullet can stop that guy. Wait until we can restock our supplies, besides, Darlian's getting away."  
  
Clearly unhappy about being pulled away, Marcus reluctantly nodded his agreement; his sore body also helped him to recognize the situation. He was both angry and amazed at how his former leader was able to match him blow for blow with such a wound and, no doubt, blood loss. His green eyes flared with hatred and jealously but he snubbed out the chain of thoughts before it got the better of him._ //Best to save my strength for when I actually get to kill the bastard.// _A plan formulated in his head and he turned to Chris, "Take my gun and follow Darlian," he ordered passing the cool object into waiting hands, "I'll go back to our room and get whatever I can. I think we still have a good supply of explosives left. Considering who our opponent is I believe we'll need more than the norm." With that they disappeared down the stairs.  
  


*****

  
Duo and Relena were out of the hotel and desperately running along the streets and sidewalks, pushing and shoving their way through the crowds. Of course the crowd took that as a sign of total blatant disregard for their personal space and pushed back. With a hard shove from a large burly man, Duo was thrown to the ground. Interesting enough the mechanic was about to protest but found Relena had beaten him to it. With her head held high she walked up to the man who looked to be a good foot and a half taller with twice the weight. He watched on awed as the diplomat held steadfast her ground.  
  
"Sir, that was uncalled for," she stated firmly.  
  
The large man looked down at her and laughed. Who was this little girl telling him his actions were wrong? With just a glance, he deemed her unworthy of his attention; compared to him she was an insect. "Don't get so riled up, honey," he smirked, "Go run off and play with your little friend if you know what's good for you... Unless..." upon closer inspection he reconsidered his first opinions; she was cute, "you'd rather play with me?"   
  
"W-what?" Relena gasped incredulously.  
  
The man's smile widened and he took that opportunity to grab her wrist. Holding her still as his face got closer to hers, leaning in to steal a kiss but a hand intercepted him, blocking his lips from Relena's. Surprised he turned and saw one incredibly pissed off, newly out of retirement, Shinigami.  
  
"I don't think so, buddy," Duo huffed, eyes burning furiously. With his other hand he removed the man's grip on Relena's wrist and nudged her back so his body shielded hers. "The lady's with me and if you want anything to do with her, you'll have to answer to me first." He held his ground and attempted to stare the man down.  
  
The large man became furious and grabbed Duo's collar, pulling him up till he was on his toes. "Why you little snot-nosed brat! Don't you dare speak to me that way-" he was cut off prematurely when a bullet whizzed between their heads. Both he and Duo, still locked in each other's grasp, gazed over the crowd trying to determine where the hell the shot came from. The American caught sight of shining metal as another shot was fired and both men quickly let each other go.  
  
Grabbing Relena's arm, Duo waved at the man, "See ya later, buddy!" he exclaimed enthusiastically as he pulled Relena away, "C'mon, Relena, we better beat it before the next shot actually hits something." They were off in a flash and the large man could only wonder what the hell had taken place.   
  


*****

  
"Heero, dammit! Hold still," Trowa cursed when the Japanese refused to allow himself treatment. The taller youth took hold of his arm and pinned him to where he sat slumped next to the wall. "Those wounds are going to get infected you know," he stated trying to reason with his partner.  
  
Heero grunted and tried to pull away, "I don't care if it gets infected, we have to go after them," he protested adamantly. His struggles were weak and the former Heavyarms pilot easily got the upper hand. Whatever movements the other made, Trowa just countered until Heero gave up and let his arms fall to the floor. With a sigh he resigned himself to Trowa's mercy.  
  
"That's better," the clown remarked calmly, taking out the first aid materials. He grabbed a gauze band-aid and a bandage roll along with tweezers and a bottle of antiseptic. "You shouldn't worry about them," Trowa stated in his emotionless voice, "Right now Duo's the most capable one of us to guard her. In our present condition we could hardly be considered threatening." Picking up the bottle he poured a small amount on the bleeding wound. He wasn't surprised when he saw Heero's whole body tense and the Japanese let out a loud hiss; those things stung like hell, most of the time they hurt more than the injury. Wiping away the access blood with a clean cloth, he grasped the tweezers and began probing for the bullet.  
  
The pain clearly registered on Heero's face, but the only verbal indication that he even felt it came in the form of grunts and hisses. A minute late Trowa produce the small but lethal object, putting it inside the first aid kit then dabbed the area with more antiseptic. From then the rest was quite easy, he'd bandage Heero enough times that he could do it blindfolded. At least this time he didn't have much to dress. "For someone who can do almost anything you certainly have a hard time when it comes to not getting shot," he remarked jokingly earning a muffled chuckled as a reward.  
  
"Trust me, it's not something I'm proud of," Heero replied, shifting his weight so he could be more comfortable. He looked down at his body and mentally cringed at the amount of blood staining his clothes. _//Why must there always be so much blood? There's always too much of it... and it's always mine...//_ He closed his eyes and leaned back, letting Trowa work in silence, it was something that comforted both of them. Scenes of his death flashed before his eyes and his spine tingled. He was actually afraid of dying, that was something new. Well, he had to admit that his life had changed drastically since he was a Gundam pilot, willing to do anything to save the colonies._ //I don't want to die again... not again... it's too cold... and lonely...// _His eyes slowly drifted shut and his head lolled forward; exhaustion had won out.  
  
Trowa smiled sadly at him, studying the limp form as he continued to treat the cuts. "It's good to know that even you, Heero, are still human," he whispered solemnly. _//Your humanity is what I've always admired most about you, Heero. Please, try not to lose it in spite of this.// _When he finished with Heero's injuries he concentrated on his own, wincing at how many there were. He'd never been this hurt in any battle before, giving him a much clearer idea of just who he was dealing with.  
  
Ten minutes later and he'd dressed his final cut. Feeling tired all of a sudden he lurched forward, supporting himself on one arm, his head swimming with dizziness. It wouldn't do to fall asleep not at such a crucial time, but little could've been done in his present state; he had the blond assassin to thank for that. His fight against weariness was a losing one and he conceded to let his body rest, if only for a few moments; Duo would need them in their best form if he were to stand a chance.  
  


*****

  
"Huff huff huff huff huff huff."  
  
Running through the alleys, Duo couldn't shake off that sensation of watching eyes. Every now and then, he'd look past his shoulder, trying to discern the source of his paranoia. His pace quickened along with his hold on Relena as they ran across puddles and trash-littered pavement. _//Kuso! There it goes again... that weird chill that ran down my spine... someone's out there, I just don't know where...// _His eyes darted back and forth, desperately attempting to locate this hidden enemy.  
  
After passing by another block, he spotted an abandoned building; at least to him it seemed abandoned. Yet he never made it to the shelter, a large body dropped on him before he even came within a yard of it. Horrified, Relena could only gape at the dark figure as it got up, assessing its handiwork. Chris smiled wickedly as he stared at the unconscious pilot then turned to his other captive. In one swift motion he drew his gun and aimed for Relena's heart. "You're not going to like it if you take another step, Miss," he remarked with a wry grin, "and neither will your friend."  
  
The girl kept her cool and matched him gaze for gaze, "It's not as if I have a choice, do I now?"  
  
The blond laughed heartily, shaking his head to dismiss the seriousness. "No, I don't suppose you do. You know, it's great having a hostage who understands, it's quite... refreshing." He went back to Duo and began to hoist him up, slinging the American's arm over his shoulder. Shifting the other's weight into a more comfortable position, he trudged on inside the building. Halting before the door he addressed the diplomat again, "Aren't you coming in? I'd hate to have to use force, it'd be kinda pointless since you're not really worth the effort now."  
  
She stared a moment longer before replying haughtily, "Well I never!" she huffed then closed her eyes and turned her head, walking in before him.  
  
Chris chuckled again as he carried the body in, "Ah, where are my manners. That was no way to address the Vice Foreign Minister of the E.S.U.N. My apologies. It's been awhile since I last spoke with higher officials."  
  
A bit bewildered by his peculiar behavior, well, peculiar for an assassin, she kept silent and observed him more closely. "What are you trying to get at?"  
  
He raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that? I'm not getting at anything," he replied, producing some twine from his pocket. Tying Duo's hands behind his back, he propped the unconscious youth against a fallen crate. "There. You've caused me enough trouble for one day. Now, Miss Darlian," he said cheerfully, "would you like to make yourself comfortable while we wait?"  
  
The young woman became puzzled. "Wait? Wait for what? I thought you were here to kill me," she exclaimed. Her eyes locked onto his form as he got up to stand in front of her. She took a step back and swallowed hard.  
  
"Our plans have been changed," he answered light-heartedly, "I'm sorry to inform you that you've just been downgraded from target to bait." He saw her mouth the word 'bait' silently then filled her in on what she needed to know. There wasn't any harm in doing so; she'd die soon enough once they got their prey. "Our former commander turned traitor is top priority now. We can't really ignore him anymore, he's too dangerous to keep around and he knows too much about Todesengel." He stopped and watched her stride over to an upturned crate, using it as a stool. "Since he seemed so adamant about protecting you, I can only guess that you're important."  
  
_//Oh, Heero... What have you gotten yourself into?//_ She looked towards Duo's direction and frowned._ //So many people I care about are getting hurt... My life is not worth it... so why? Dammit! Duo... it's all my fault... I never meant for you to get caught up in my problems...// _The assassin noticed the shift in mood and sat down beside her, ruffling her hair playfully. "What's with the sad face, Leuchtkäfern?"  
  
"I'm not a firefly," she promptly protested, gazing at the floor.  
  
"You know German?" he gasped.  
  
"... A little," she answered sheepishly with a small hint of a smile.  
  
He chuckled again, patting her back, "And yet again you surprise me, Leuchtkäfern. In all honesty, when I took this mission I thought it'd be, as they say, a piece of cake. Well, you've managed to stay alive thus far... How do you do it, if you don't mind my asking?"  
  
She was hesitant then replied what she felt to be true, "It's because other's take the bullet for me... You know, you don't act like any of the other assassins I've encountered... You seem a bit too... cheerful to be one."  
  
He holstered his gun and moved to a crate across from her answering, "You know, everyone seems to wonder that." He laughed softly, "I guess the best way I can explain it would be to ask, "If you don't love what you do, then why do it at all?" right? I enjoy killing, sure," she became aghast and he spoke again before she could interrupt, "but it's not because I'm a sick bastard or anything. No, I like it because I get to test my skills against other people. Every time I'm out there, I want to see just how much quieter I can be, how much longer I can move about before I'm caught, just how much more invisible I can make myself." Chris spoke with such fervor and passion, truly mesmerizing.  
  
"But you're killing people," Relena cried out.  
  
The German mulled over those words, "Yes, that's true, but it's still a job. My job as an assassin is to eliminate certain people. If I had your job as the Vice Foreign Minister, then I'd do my best to regulate the activities between Earth and Space. However, it's not, so why should I do such a thing? As I see it, every creature on Earth was put there for a specific purpose and they all work together in harmony to ensure a world of balance."  
  


*****

  
Marcus was finally in their hotel room. Everything looked to be how they left it so he knew he'd been its only visitor. Yet that didn't prevent his cautious nature to surface and he scanned with every step he took. All the while thoughts of Heero's death and his promotion danced in his head. It was like a dream come true, too good to be real, a wish that'd finally been granted. He glanced down at his watch and saw his need to hurry. Hopefully Chris had already dealt with the mechanic and the Vice Foreign Minister was in their hands.  
  
He reached his bed and kneeled to retrieve his suitcase. With a quick snap of the clasps the lid was popped open and the array of artillery shone like gleaming diamonds in the dim light. He identified each one closely and made his selection, picking out two new guns, several clips, a small hand knife, some poisoned darts, and a few explosives._ //This should be more than enough. I mean, it's just him...//_ Doubt set in and he looked once more at the suitcase, then pocked two smoke grenades should he need cover for an escape. Knowing that bastard, he'd probably still be ticking with two or three bullets lodged in him. Stubborn fool, thinking he could stand against Todesengel. What did he hope to accomplish anyways? Saving the girl will only solve the problem temporarily; they could always hire other people to do the job. What a fool.  
  


*****

  
"How does killing ensure balance?"  
  
"Oh, quite easily, Leuchtkäfern. It's sort of like a food chain. Animals kill and feed off of one another everyday, in that way, their population is maintained. However," he emphasized, pulling out his gun again, "humans have no predators to fear, no real means of checks and balances. Small sacrifices have to be made otherwise man will come to dominate all aspects of life. Haven't you noticed how we've slowly crept our way into space? Little by little man gains more knowledge and with it more means to escape their confines. How long do you think it will be before we reach it's very edges? We'll spread like a disease with no known cure and the entire universe will pay for letting us play our games of war and conquest. So we must trust our only enemies to keep us in order."  
  
"And who may they be?"  
  
"Why, Leuchtkäfern," he exclaimed shocked, "ourselves of course. Man's greatest enemy is man himself. Are you still trying to deny to yourself that very truth?" Her silence confirmed his answer. "History is the only proof you need in order to see that. Generation after generation, century after century, it repeats itself for no real purpose, fueled not by reason, but by instincts. The need for balance drives us to kill each other, because at our very core is the drive to destroy... and create. Do you not agree, Leuchtkäfern?"  
  
Her reply wasn't forthcoming but she queried, "Why do you call me that?"  
  
The assassin pondered; unsure of why he applied that word to her. "Well, I guess it's because you remind me of one. As small as you may be, you give off a light that helps to guide others through the darkness."  
  
She giggled, "I never knew assassins had such philosophies concerning life before. You're really different from many of the ones I've faced. It's kind of odd to be in this sort of conversation," Relena smiled at him, "but it also feels nice. I guess facing death isn't all that hard if you just get to know your killer a bit more." An odd feeling of familiarity crept inside her.  
  
His laughter broke her reverie and she soon joined in as well. "You're certainly taking this well. I'd imagine you to be begging for your life right about now, but knowing your position; death is always lurking around the corner, huh?" He sighed heavily and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Must be difficult to find any free time; I don't envy you at all."  
  
She shook her head. "Nah, I'm used to it. If you'd been threatening to kill someone else, then I'd put up more of a struggle, but since it's only my life right now, I don't mind. I'm not afraid of death... at least not for myself."  
  
"You sound as if you want to die. I can't possible fathom any reasons for you to give up your life so easily." He clasped his hands under his chin and turned to her. "You have a lot to live for, don't you? The people love you, they need you, and you seem to enjoy what you do."  
  
"To a certain extent," she deliberated then nodded, "yes, but every time someone like Taylor tries to undermine my efforts, I begin to doubt whether or not my presence is wanted or if it even makes a difference. I try, but some people aren't willing to listen."  
  
"That's not the point," the blond promptly rebuked, "If you believe you can make a difference in someone else's life, then that should fuel you on. I mean, haven't you made a difference in your boyfriend's life?"  
  
"My... boyfriend?" she inquired curiously.  
  
"The guy I knocked down," he began a bit uncertain, "isn't he your boyfriend?"  
  
Relena's eyes widened, "Duo?... No, he's a good friend of mine."  
  
"Really?" he mused, surprised, "When I saw the way you two stood up for each against that big guy earlier today, I was sure you two were involved. I could see it in his eyes; he literally wanted to hurt that guy."  
  
"Yeah, I did, but I'll settle for you!" came Duo's voice, then a shot rang out and Chris was lying on the concrete floor, clutching his arm. He looked across the room and saw the mechanic standing tall, a gun in one hand and the twine in the other.  
  
"How, did you-?" Chris gritted between his teeth.  
  
The American smirked, a dangerous gleam in his eyes, "When you've lived through a war, you pick up a few things." He replied getting ready to fire another shot, but Relena blocked his path.  
  
"Duo, don't!" the Foreign Minister protested, shielding Chris with her body.  
  
"What are you doing, Relena?" Duo gawked._ //Has this happened before?//_ "Get out of the way so I can finish this guy!" He aimed his gun with renewed anger.  
  
"No," she retorted, "I won't let you, Duo. You don't have to kill him!"  
  
"What?" He looked deeply into her eyes and saw the determination, she wasn't kidding. "Are you out of your mind, Relena? He's gonna kill us once our backs are turned!"  
  
Her voice wavered as they continued to face off; she didn't like fighting with Duo. "Well you're going to have to go through me if you want him."  
  
"Why the hell do I feel like this has happened before?" he sighed, putting away his gun. "Oh, yeah, that whole thing with Heero... I should've known." He went towards and knelt by Relena as she pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket. With care she folded the cloth and pressed it to the wound. "Hey, 'Jousan, since when did I become the bad guy? Remember, he's one of the people trying to kill you?"  
  
She gazed up at him and smiled warmly, "He's not all that bad, Duo," she remarked as she worked, "While you were unconscious we got to talking... He's helped me to realize some things... A lot of things actually... about my life, my work, my friends... and you..." she trailed into a murmur.  
  
"Me?" he choked out, baffled and she nodded her head.  
  
"This is a first," the German remarked, awed, "Never thought I'd live to see the day when my target would be saving my life. Ow!"  
  
Duo smiled; he'd press on the man's arm more forcefully than needed. "It's nothing new. Believe me, buddy, this isn't the first time she's done it."  
  
Chris' face was incredulous; it seemed a bit too surreal for him. "What? You mean she's protected someone who tried to kill her before?"  
  
"Yeah, your leader..." he reassessed that statement, now that he thought about it, "or I guess your former leader since you are out to kill him too."  
  
The assassin could only shake his head in wonderment. These people had to be the oddest ones he'd ever met before in his life. "Boy, you're even stranger than I took you for."  
  
The girl smiled inwardly; they'd stop fighting. "There's nothing wrong with showing a little compassion and forgiveness. Now if you'd stop chatting and help me, Duo, I can get this done a whole lot faster."  
  


*****

  
Heero woke up to the nose of bustling feet quickly making their way on carpeted floor. His vision focused and he realized he was still inside of Relena's suite. Panic rushed through his head and he desperately searched for Trowa and found him laying only a foot away. He quickly got up but was almost brought back down by a sharp pain in his shoulder._ //Oh yeah, I got shot...// _He located his gun; reaching for it he kept his senses tuned to the incoming forces. On his feet, he knelt next to his fallen comrade and shook his shoulders, whispering gruffly, "C'mon, Trowa, there are people coming this way. We need to make ourselves as scarce as possible."  
  
Bleary eyed and sore, the taller youth's moves were quite lethargic, but once the severity of the situation struck him his eyes shot open. With speed worthy of an acrobat of his caliber, he was swiftly out the door, catching up with Heero. "Sorry about dozing off back there. I guess we have some ground to make up, ne? I hope Duo's fairing well without us, Relena too."  
  
"I've no right to blame anyone, I was sleeping myself," he checked his gun and remember his deficient supply of bullets. "How much ammo do you have left?"  
  
"My gun's got half, but the gun I confiscated is about fully loaded. Is that sufficient enough for you?"  
  
"That'll have to do," his jaws locked and his eyes steeled, "but if I know Marcus, he's probably gone back to our room to reload. We can't exactly do the same, we might have a confrontation... normally, I'd have no problems with that, but we brought along some explosives and he's not shy about using them."  
  
Giving Heero a rare smile, Trowa shook his head replying, "Talk about overkill, but you were always one for those explosive entrances and exits."  
  


*****

  
Duo looked over at Relena and repositioned his gun on Chris. "You have her to thank for you life so you better start talking now cause I've had a bad week and I don't feel like dragging your bloody carcass around." He heard Relena gasp and gave an innocent grin, "I was only kiddin', 'Jousan." Gaze back on the assassin, his eyes hardened and the smile turned sinister. "So where should we begin? Hmmm... For starters, how many other people were assigned to this mission? Heero said is was only you three, but I'm guessing that maybe you could've called for backup after last night."  
  
"Call for backup?" Chris choked indignantly. "Just how desperate do you think we are? Teufel isn't one of the best because we went begging for help every time something didn't go our way. We're praised for our resourcefulness and quick thinking. If we're told to do a job with a certain amount of people, we do it with that specific amount. Hmph! Call for help, we're not incompetent!"  
  
"Alright, alright, I get it, I get it. Oi, 'Jousan," he thought suddenly, "could you go back to where I was tied up and bring back the ropes I left there? We might have to leave here soon and having a human shield could guarantee that our hides will stay in tact for just a bit longer."  
  
"What a morbid sense of humor," a feminine voice spoke out of the blue.  
  
Duo's head quickly perked up but it was too late and he felt a thin, choking wire at his throat. His hands were instinctively at his neck, gun on the floor, as he desperately pried at the slender weapon. His eyes slammed shut and he bit his lower lip against the pain as he felt the garrote cut into his skin. "Relena," he choked out, "run! Get outta here!" He gasped when the wire tightened and his vision was filled with flashes of white.  
  
"Duo!" Relena screamed, running to his aid, rope in hand and fear in her eyes. The other picked up her presence immediately and Relena was stopped short as the woman pulled out a gun.  
  
Her lips quirked in a gleeful smile as she turned her gaze to the girl, her partner, than her own comrade. "Well, well, well, I don't know what you and Marcus were doing all this time, but eliminating Darlian doesn't seem all that difficult. Am I right?" she asked, directing her question to the diplomat. "You're no harder to kill and about as dangerous as a field mouse." Her smile disappeared as Relena's blue-green gaze widened in horror, pleading, begging. "But first, to make sure that we have no further interference..." she began, bringing the gun to Duo's head.  
  
"And I thought y-you didn't need any help," Duo seethed, still struggling against the wire's hold.  
  
Coffee brown pools shifted undecidedly to the left and right, deliberating. "Stop!" Chris shouted suddenly, lurching forward as he cradled his arm.  
  
Surprised aqua eyes turned to him, "What did you say?"  
  
"Don't kill him, Karen," the blond stated more firmly.  
  
"Am I hearing this right? Are you out of your mind?" Their gazes were unwavering as they attempted to stare the other down. "Do you know what you're asking for by making such a demand?"  
  
"Karen... Please, I owe them..." His eyes shifted to the floor but he knew his request was given when he heard her click the safety of her gun back on. A long sigh and then a loud gasping of air followed it.  
  
"Care to explain?" came the level voice as their eyes met again. "You've just asked me to spare a life and no doubt it applies to the target as well."  
  
The young man hesitated, wondering himself why he'd ask her to relinquish the kill. It was spontaneous in a way... the look in the girl's eyes, they were so scared and after what she'd done for him, he had to return the favor. "I had a debt to pay," he simply replied, "Darlian... she saved my life." He held out his arm, revealing the bandaged wound. "I'm not so heartless as not to know when to do the same."  
  
"Liebe!" The young woman gasped as she scooted to his side, leaving the mechanic to message his throat as Relena rubbed his back in comfort. At that time the diplomat was able to get a better look at the female assassin. Tall and slender with short, light brown hair and aqua blue eyes, she was clad in a white, buttoned shirt that clung to her body. Along with her short leather skirt and knee-high boots, she gave the persona of a spy rather than an assassin. "Who did this to you?"  
  
"Uh..." he began nervously, "he did," Chris replied, gesturing his head at Duo. Before Karen could reposition her gun at the American the German promptly came out with another question. "Uh, when did you get here and how did you find me, anyways? Marcus and I never called for backup."  
  
The woman laughed softly and planted a kiss on his lips, "Now, Chris, we've been together long enough to know that I always keep you under surveillance." She reached for his left wrist and rolled up his jacket sleeve, revealing a very expensive looking watch. "Honestly, Liebe, sometimes you're just too trusting. If you'd bother to check this "birthday present" more closely, you would've been able to locate the little tracking device I had installed between the quartz and the coil." He gave her a funny expression and her lower lip quivered in a pout. "Aw, c'mon, Liebe, you know how I worry about you."  
  
"... Yeah, I guess," he sighed in concession, "I should've known better by checking everything I'm given, present or otherwise, especially from you." He shook his head and attempted to get up but fell halfway and slumped on the young woman. "*sigh* Maybe I should go back to retraining, it seems as if I'm getting lazy these days. But, Liebe," he addressed adoringly, "you shouldn't have come; it's too dangerous right now. I can't ensure your safety."  
  
The young woman snorted indignantly and her eyes flared, "Since when did I need you to protect my back. I'm every bit as good as you are in this business. If you haven't forgotten, Todesengel came looking for **_me_** because my skills gave them something to fear." Their eyes locked once more and silence reigned throughout the warehouse. Neither budged, determined to come out the victor in the sparing match of wills.  
  
"Uh," came Duo's bewildered voice, "can one of you please explain what's going on here? I think I might've missed something. Are you or are you not here to kill us? If that's the case then where does this little love spat fit in?"  
  
That seemed to snap the two out of their trance and they turned to their audience. With perplexed expressions being exchanged back and forth, an air of confusion began forming around them. "Oh," Chris replied dryly, "I almost forgot you were there."  
  
"What?!" the youth choked, "How the hell could you have forgotten us!? After all the torment we've put each other through, how could we just slip your mind!? Are we not important anymore? Weren't you just doing all you could to kill us mere moments ago? What happened to our status on your to do list!?"  
  
The two blinked, once, twice, then a third time before the young woman decided to speak up. "My, aren't you a strange one," Karen replied, eyes studying the young man before her. "Are you sad because you're no longer important to us? Our targets are getting stranger and stranger with every mission, don't you think, Liebe?" she mused towards Chris who was chuckling at Duo's outburst.  
  


  
-to be continued-  
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Ah, screw making this a romantic comedy! I'm too damn tired and depressed to care! Argh! I tried to promise myself that I wouldn't let my moods effect my fics, but seeing how the last ones turned out, I clearly can't keep promises to myself. Oh, gomen for adding another character in there, it seems kinda abrupt and many of you might think that it's just added garbage, but, hey, it's my fic! I'll add and take out whomever I want! *sigh* Gomen for the outburst, I'm just a bit stressed out.  
  
Kuso! Kuso! Kuso! Two months! No, wait, I have less than two months left with my muse... then it's goodbye... life is so unfair sometimes. If I had a real choice in the matter, I'd stay in Long Beach and attend Cal State with her. It's going to be a difficult four years, I'm sure of it. Expect what I write to be more angst than anything else.  



	11. A Reason to Fight, A Reason to Continue

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are the property of Sotsu, Sunrise, TV Asahi, Bandai, etc. I don't own any part of it and I'm not making any money out of it either. This is purely for entertainment purposes, nothing more and nothing less.  
  
Warnings: Mild language and violence. 2+R fic.  
  
A.N: Well, this fic is still going on which means I've failed to maintain that 10-chapter mark I set for myself. Why the HELL can't I finish this and why the HELL is it taking me so long to write? When I first started writing Zero Soul, I came out with a chapter every other day. I saw and knew what I wanted to write and the words flowed out of me like a river. Why can't I think as clearly now as I did back then? What's happened to make me this way? Everything is so clouded so I apologize for making everyone wait so long for this chapter, things just pop up out of nowhere and I find myself having to deal with them alone. Hopefully this will be the last chapter.  


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**My Ojousan**  
Chapter 11: A Reason to Fight, A Reason to Continue  
  
By: veGie-kun

  
  
"So, mind telling us who you are exactly?" Duo queried, his body leaning against a steel column.  
  
The young woman tilted her head to the side and smiled devilishly, "Well, if I tell you, then I'd have to kill you." She saw him blanch at the statement and giggled merrily, "I was only joking. God, you must watch way too many movies." She got up and strolled towards the mechanic, outstretching a hand as he started to scoot back a step. "C'mon, I don't bite... that much," she exclaimed innocently as Duo cautiously took her hand and shook it. "My name is Karen. I'm one of Chris' teammates and also his keeper."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
She turned around and gave him an impish smile before directing her attention back to Duo. "I don't know what kind of people you are, but if Chris is willing to jeopardize his position at Todesengel for you, then you must be special. Speaking of Todesengel..." she began slowly, "what are you going to do, Liebe?" Making her way back to her boyfriend, the young woman kneeled at his side and began playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "You know I wouldn't tell them what you did, but if Marcus or Taylor ever got wind of it... not to mention HIM. My goodness, that guy even gives me the creeps."  
  
"I... I don't think we have to worry about Him," Chris struggled to say, "He's working with them."  
  
"What?"  
  
Chris smiled sardonically, "Yeah, as it turns out, our fearless leader is a spy. Hard to believe he was able to mask that from us for so long, huh? Sorta goes to show you just how good he really is." He reached for his gun but pain tore through his arm and he found himself cradling it. Karen wasted no time helping him steady himself and Relena saw just how much the two cared for each other. It was funny to see supposedly cold-blooded killers act in such a loving manner towards one another.  
  
"You two... must really care a lot about each other," the diplomat found herself saying.  
  
They looked up at the young diplomat than at each other then back to Relena. "You could say that," Karen spoke sincerely, "I can't imagine not having the dummkopf around, I'm so used to him I guess."  
  
"Ouch," Chris winched, "and that's not from the gunshot wound."  
  
Duo laughed, rubbing the back of his head, "Boy, those two are even worse than Sally and Wufei. I guess you were right, Relena... they're not as bad as they seemed at first... but..." his eyes became somber and his demeanor grew serious, "You can't always assume that everyone will turn out like they do. They aren't the only assassins this organization has to offer and if they are anything like the guy Heero took on... then we're all in trouble." Seeing the questioning look on her face, he took her hands into his, "So when I tell you to run next time... please do so."  
  
"But, Duo, I don't want to leave you behind. How can you just expect me to walk away while you're in danger?" she pleaded with him.  
  
Her sincerity touched him deeply and he brushed away a few strands of hair from her face, "I know you want to help, 'Jousan, and it's not to discourage you, but the fact of the matter is... there's nothing you can really do."  
  
"I saved your life!" she shouted abruptly, eyes tearful and angry. Pulling free from Duo's grasp, she ran to the other side of the warehouse.  
  
Not knowing what course of action to pursue, Duo sat dumbfounded on the cold cement floor. _//Oh, great, what have I done now? ::So, how are you gonna get yourself outta this one?:: How the hell should I know? I've never had to deal with this kinda stuff before... and Relena's not like other girls... ::Is she worth all this trouble?:: ... Yes, she is.//_ He got up to go after Relena but Chris grabbed his wrist, holding him back.  
  
"Don't go charging in just yet," he told Duo, easing his grip when the mechanic obeyed. "When you go you have to be ready to listen to her, not just try to get your point across. You know her better than most so you should understand how afraid she is to lose the people she cares for. You've lived through the war, so I'm certain you've been through the same ordeal." A knowing smirk replaced his stern gaze, "And in situations like these, sometimes actions speak louder than words."  
  
With the last piece of advice given, Duo slowly got up and trailed Relena's path as Chris continued to watch him leave. When he felt a light pressure on his shoulder, he spoke up and addressed his companion, "Think they'll be all right?"  
  
"Somehow," the young woman began, "they remind me of younger versions of us." A reminiscent tone filled her voice, "They'll be put through troubling times, I'm sure of it, but I know they can pull through. If the look in their eyes is any indication of how much they care for each other, then..."  
  
"Younger versions of us, huh?" Chris mused lightly, "Kinda scary to think there are people out there just like us. I think two is enough, any more and the world won't be able to last long."  
  
"It's even scarier to think that our children could turn out like us," she chimed in dreamily, "Imagine... miniature versions of ourselves."  
  
"Children?" Chris gulped nervously.  
  


*****

  
Having crossed another street, Marcus stopped next to the light and pulled up his watch. Pressing one of its various buttons, the picture changed to an image of what looked to be a map with a blinking beacon in the middle. He magnified the image and smiled as he recognized the location, having passed by the area during a scouting mission. _//The job must've been easier than I thought, seems like Chris had no trouble at all. Well, now that we have the bait, let's go see if we can get the prey... You're not going to be able to get away from us this time, I'm going to kill you and enjoy every minute of it... I can almost taste your blood now.//_ He had the biggest sneer plastered on his face as he continued to head for his car, causing some of the pedestrians to look upon him with wonder.  
  
_//Don't get too overconfident now, that little bastard probably has a couple of tricks still up his sleeves. Hell, that kid's just as ruthless as I am, maybe even more so... it's like he doesn't even fear death... People like that... they'll do anything...// _Marcus shook his head; such unpleasant thoughts only brought doubt to him, that wasn't a good thing. Doubt will cause him to hesitate and before he knew it, that little bastard would have a knife through his heart. He smirked and opened his car door; the final battle was going to be an interesting one.  
  


*****

  
"Do you have an idea as to where they are?" Trowa asked calmly from his seat in the back of the taxi, tilting his head to the side to glance at his partner. "We don't have enough money to ask the driver to go all over the colony, you know."  
  
Heero's brows furrowed, indicating his intense concentration on the question asked. The two's location would depend on Duo. Heero had to get into the mechanic's head, think like he did, align his mind with the America's way of thinking. Of course, that was easier said than done. He hadn't seen the youth in almost two years, and the memories he had were hazy and untrustworthy. _//Duo's the kind of person to try and find the quickest route towards a goal, right? If that were so, then when he came out of the hotel, he'd probably just head straight forward. Assuming that something might have happened then he'd head for cover. The only place around here that would allow that is the alleys... and considering who's with him, they couldn't have gotten that far... ::Aren't you forgetting about something? *ahem*:: ?... Oh yeah...//_  
  
"You have a theory?" Trowa queried, knowing full well that the Japanese did.  
  
Heero looked up giving an arrogant smirk, "I don't need one." He took out a small handheld device and turned it on, revealing two blinking beacons on the small screen. "I had the both of them bugged with tracers." Trowa muffled a laugh and stayed quiet in order for the youth to continue. "Looks like they're in a large building somewhere near the alleyways... Probably a warehouse of some type. It's really close by..."  
  
Trowa nodded then turned his attention to the cab driver. "Stop here."  
  


*****

  
With nervous movements, Duo cautiously approached the slumped figure in the corner. "Oi, 'Jousan," he called out softly, hoping for acknowledgement, "What'cha doin'?" Hearing no reply, protest, or otherwise, he advanced another couple of steps. "C'mon, you know I don't like the silent treatment. Please, just talk to me." He sat down next to her, but she continued to stare at the wall. "Alright. 'Jousan, look, I'm sorr-"  
  
"Am I really that useless?" she cut him off, eyes trained on the cold, concrete floor.  
  
"What?" the youth gasped, astonished by the remark. "How can you ask that?"  
  
She smiled sadly, ignoring the tear that trickled down her face, "You won't answer me because you know that I am," she stated matter-of-factly. "Yeah... dead weight that's better off being left behind while everyone goes off to fight... I wonder if that's the reason why everyone leaves me"  
  
The mechanic had heard enough, grabbing Relena roughly by the shoulders; he turned her around and bore deeply into her eyes. "'Jousan..." his tone was sad, "Don't ever think that your life is worthless... no life is... You are very important, to your mother, the people, Heero, and everyone else who know you... but especially me." He eased his grip, suddenly aware that he was invading her personal space. Inching away slowly, Duo once again caught her gaze. "'Jousan, your strength gives us hope and that's why you have to live."  
  
She answered with a mocking laugh. "C'mon, you can come up with something better than that, can't you?"  
  
Stunned by her behavior towards the situation, the youth examined her face to discern her emotions but a veil of blonde hair hindered his efforts. _//What do you want me to say, Relena? I don't know what to do in these situations... I've never been in them before... C'mon, don't do this to me. I'm not used to seeing you without a smile...// _Unsure of what to do he tried for a different topic. "You've just had a long, hard day, 'Jousan."  
  
Ignoring his words she continued emotionlessly, "They always used to tell me that I was too small to do anything; that I'd only be in the way... and then... they all left... One by one, they were gone from my life, my father, my brother, Noin... Heero... I'm useless to all of them." Sniffling, she turned her head upwards and gazed at Duo with a questioning, sorrowful look. "Why don't you want me?"  
  
"But I do want you!" Duo found himself shouting thoughtlessly. "I want to be with you more than you'll ever know. To hear you laugh, to see you smile, to caress your hair as you talk to me, to watch you as you sleep... I want all of that..." he quickly stopped his rambling as soon as he realized exactly what he was rambling about. "... I'm sorry, 'Jousan, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that... forget everything I said... I'll leave you alone for now..."  
  
He turned around to leave but her hand shot out and grabbed his before he could take a step. "Wait... did you mean all that?" She looked at him with pleading eyes.  
  
His voice had left him with that unexpected speech and he found himself nervous from her touch. _//::There's nothing to be afraid of. Just tell her your feelings and show her how much you care about her:://_ Duo smiled gently at her and covered her hand with his. "Relena," he spoke softly, "I care about you very much... more than you may ever know..." As he grew silent again, he leaned forward and kissed her gently on her forehead.  
  
*BANG*  
  


*****

  
"Did you hear that?" Trowa asked as he and Heero made their way through the narrow alleys.  
  
"Don't worry about it, we're almost there," Heero assured but still worried that Marcus had gotten there before they did.  
  


*****

  
Marcus frowned when he heard the shot. In his mind, there were numerous possibilities: 1. He was too late and the traitor had killed Chris 2. Chris had killed the traitor 3. Chris' prisoners managed to escape and killed him 4. Chris had killed the prisoners in their attempt to escape 5. Another factor that he hadn't accounted for. Things weren't looking good. "Hah! That's an understatement!"  
  
He looked at this watch again and realized that he was there. Remembering the number one rule of assassins, to stay hidden, he automatically searched for an alternative entrance. Noticing a ladder to the side of the building, he raced for it and began climbing towards a nearby window. Being as stealthy as he could, he hid behind the factory's old machinery as he watched everything unfold.  
  


*****

  
Duo covered Relena as the shot sounded. With gun in hand, he scanned the area, wary of any suspicious shadows that came into his line of vision.  
  
"You'd better put that gun away," came Taylor's voice from behind.  
  
The young man whirled around and their eyes locked. "You bastard," Duo seethed, "I'm not going to let you lay a finger on her."  
  
Taylor chuckled merrily, "Oh, I don't intend to kill her myself, it'd be easy for the authorities to find enough evidence to point me as the murderer. That's not to say that I'm not tempted though. If I killed you now, then I wouldn't have to worry about when those incompetent assassins will finish the job I hired them to do. Now, hand over your gun before I shoot you."  
  
Against his better judgment, he wanted to shoot the guy but knew it would put Relena at risk; the gun obviously aimed at her. With a sigh, he relinquished his firearm. "Fine, you win this one," he seethed.  
  
"Just why are you doing this Representative Taylor?" Relena asked, bewildered and angry.  
  
He eyed her vehemently and spoke harshly, "Because I don't like people such as you, Darlian. You preach of peace and a world without wars yet you know nothing of the reasons why those wars are being made. You just assume that it's all about killing but you fail to see that without them people will also die." His anger seemed to have subsided slightly as he continued, gaze transfixed on the helpless girl before him. "Ever since the wars our country has suffered; being in the middle of such fighting left it in shambles, used, wasted, decrepit. They came and they took everything we had and left us with nothing but dead bodies and freshly dug graves. We haven't been able to get back on our feet since, even with the aid of the E.S.U.N. we are still unable to pick up the pieces."  
  
"And you believe that by monopolizing on the natural resources of that territory, which so happens to have once been a part of the Sank Kingdom, you'll be able to fully bring yourselves back to power," Relena supplied coldly.  
  
Taylor sneered at her dangerously, "Don't you dare take that high and mighty tone with me, Darlian; I hold you partially responsible for the state my country is in." Seeing the disbelief spread across her delicate features he deemed to enlighten her. "If you hadn't opposed OZ and remained neutral then there would have been no reason for them to attack. But damn your foolish, stubborn idealistic pride! Then you, with blatant disregard for you neighbors, dissolved the Sank Kingdom, leaving them prone to OZ's assaults as well. Sank had always been the larger kingdom and because of past treaties was obligated to protect and support its neighbors. But since you dissolved it we lost the only barrier that kept them at bay; they assumed we were part of your little pacifist nation and deemed it worthy enough to trounce."  
  
Relena lost her resolve and shook her head, sighing sympathetically. "I'm sorry that had to happen to your country Representative Taylor, but the truth of the matter is it would have happened anyways, with or without the Sank Kingdom as a shield. OZ never cared about the Sank Kingdom as an ally; they just wanted a reason to destroy what they saw as an obstacle. They knew the kingdom's pacifist policies, played upon, and tried to manipulate them. Even if I had agreed, such an alliance would teeter on the edge of a knife-"  
  
"Shut up!" The large man intervened, refusing to listen to anymore dribble from a girl who couldn't even order alcohol at a bar. "I've heard about enough of the excuses you have to offer. Whatever they are, they're still not enough to fix the problems you've caused."  
  
Duo eyed him warily for those biting remarks against Relena, but knew better than to say anything about them, choosing something much safer instead. "So basically this whole assassination scheme of yours is nothing but petty revenge. Well since you have us at your 'mercy' now, just exactly what are you going to do with us now?"  
  
"I'm not going to do anything except wait until those idiots get here to do the dirty work of course," he barked.  
  
"Just who are you calling idiots now, Representative Taylor?" Karen questioned with a gun to his back. "I don't really care if you kill those two since they're really no concern of mine, but I don't like the way you're insulting us. It's just not polite."  
  
"Wha? W-who are you?" the man stammered as she further pressed the gun into his back.  
  
"Someone who doesn't take kindly to ridicule from an ignorant, foolish man who knows nothing of what goes on in the world of professional killing. Now please take a seat right here," putting a hand on his shoulder she pushed him into a sitting position on the cold floor. She turned her head towards the door when she heard it being open and saw Teufel's team leader with another man running in their direction. "Well, look who's decided to join the party."  
  
The moment they were within ten meters both sides had their guns already drawn and trained. "Get away from them Karen," Heero threatened evenly.  
  
She quirked the corner of her lips into an amused smile, laughter playing in her eyes. "Oh, I wouldn't be so worried about those two, sir. Seeing as how they're not the person who betrayed Todesengel. As the case may be I'm very tempted to kill you right where you stand." But the fire in her eyes died and stifling a laugh she cocked her gun back and lowered her arm, "However, our past camaraderie does come to mind and the memory of you saving my life at a certain point is something that I have yet to forget. So consider my sparing your life a testament to my honor and once unwavering loyalty to you." She heard the quiet sighs of relief around the room and smirked.  
  


*****

  
  
_//What the hell is she doing here?! And more importantly why hasn't she shot him yet?!//_ Marcus fumed at the sight he was greeted with once he'd made it through the window and onto the second floor walkway. If it didn't mean giving away his prime advantageous position, he would have yelled obscenities from here to the farthest colony in the galaxy. _//What in blue blazes could that woman have been thinking about!? She just lowered her gun. Just LOWERED her gun!! I should have warned Chris about how kooky she was the minute he even thought about getting involved with her. Of all the-! Has she lost her mind?! ARGH!!// _He stealthily made his way along the platform and hid behind a large piece of machinery, patiently he waited for the scene to play itself out.  
  
He watched as Heero and Trowa warily lowered their guns, tension evident in their cautious movements. If he shot at one of them now he'd succeed before alerting the other to his position. The temptation was strong but the little bit of honor that he harbored actually spoke and he decided otherwise. His attention perked up when he heard the conversation resume, this time between Taylor and Heero.  
  
"You!" Taylor seethed furiously. "I knew there was something about you I couldn't trust." He backed down at the glare Heero sent his way, settling for furious indignation instead.  
  
"Let's say I feel the same way about you." Heero's eyes wandered over the decrepit factory interior before returning his gaze to Taylor's. "Now shall we get to discussing what we're going to do with you? In my opinion, if it counts for anything, death is the best course of action. Although, I believe Relena has objections to this. Am I right?" She nodded and he continued vehemently, "Will it be jail then? Or should we just make you disappear? You can make that happen, Duo, can't you?"  
  
Shinigami's eyes glistened dangerously with a kind of malice that had not been present since the days of war. "Oh that's a specialty of Shinigami's. With regards to how you've treated Relena, I'll make sure that you're never heard from again."  
  
"Duo!"  
  
The menacing look on his face melted into a humorous smile that he gladly gave to her. "What? Don't you trust me, 'Jousan?" He helped her up and began dusting her off, "I don't see why we shouldn't give him a taste of what he's been giving us; he obviously deserves it. For heaven's sake, he tried to have you killed. Doesn't that say anything at all about his character?" Ignoring her attempt to interject he continued onwards, "I know you what you're going to say, 'it's wrong' 'no one has the right to take the life of another' 'everyone deserves a second chance' 'everyone is entitled the right to live', etc etc. But honestly Relena, I'd like to kill him. Not just because he's a bastard, and no one here is gonna deny that, but because he tried to kill you. I won't ever forgive anyone who'll try to take you away from me I I care about you"  
  
The words warmed her heart and she felt the urge to embrace him, but instead she let the tears flow and smiled her sad, sweet smile for him.  
  
"Oh please, spare me this piece of overly saccharine sentimental dribble. I think I might just die from the sugar overdose."  
  
"Go ahead; no one would really give a rat's ass if you do"   
  
"Duo!"  
  
"Sorry. Ok, so what are we going to do with piece of incompetent, politician trash? I'm open to all suggestions that exclude death, but any form of torture is game."  
  
Visibly shaken by the hinted at threats, Taylor squirmed and backed away from the group up until the point were Karen trained a gun on him. "Not so fast Mister Taylor, we still haven't decided your fate yet." She licked her lips at the thoughts of seeing Taylor get his just desserts. Normally she never felt anything close to dislike with their other clients but oddly enough, she felt contempt every time Taylor was mentioned. What contributed to those feelings, she did not know, but she didn't considering delving too deeply into the reasons pertaining to it. She was just a simple girl at heart even if it seemed otherwise on the surface.  
  
"What's wrong with just putting him in jail? Is that too old fashion or something?" Relena queried more to herself than the rest of the group.  
  
They all looked at her with something of a sympathetic gaze. "Only 19 and already she's lost touch with the times. Really she has no flare for the dramatics at all." Chris piped up as everyone began to laugh.  
  


*****

  
"Oh God this is pathetic," Marcus whispered to himself. _//I can't believe that even Chris has resorted to fraternizing with the enemy and the target. This won't look good in the eyes of Todesengel they'll probably demote us all//_ "Hmm " He began as he scanned the surroundings under the walkway more closely, "Where did the traitor go?"  
  
"He's right here," Heero announced pulling the gun on him.  
  
"But how?"  
  
Heero graced him with his infamous smirk. "Honestly, with all the noise you make I'd think that even Relena would notice. Still haven't gotten the art of stealth down, now have we? It's no wonder they chose me over you."  
  
The words inflamed Marcus and he brought himself to his full height and quickly drew out his gun. "Oh yes, they made **_such_** a wise decision by letting you into Todesengel and appointing you leader of Teufel. You were ever the perfect assassin, quick, efficient, intelligent, and oh yes, a **_spy_**! They should have listened to me!" He spat venomously. "Since the moment I met you I knew you couldn't be trusted but no one ever listens to me."  
  
"That's because you were always second best, and who'd want to listen to someone like that?" Heero retorted, deliberately egging him on. A little more and the older man would be too consumed with blind hatred to react accordingly. "I mean if you were someone else, wouldn't you choose to listen to the person who was most competent?" He stepped closer, seemingly without caution until he was only a few meters away. "Poor, poor Marcus, never able to feel the warmth of the sun because he's always in my shadow. Does that make you angry?"  
  
It was clear that Marcus was livid with righteous indignation with having to hear such insults. He would have reacted just as Heero would have hoped him to, but in some corner of his mind, Marcus knew Heero's intentions. _//If you're guilty of one fault, it's that you severely underestimate your opponents. Well, I'm not going to be strung along like some puppet. I'll show you just how dangerous I can be.// _He mentally counted to five, took a deep breath, then proceeded to put forth an air of cool indifference. "I guess you do have a point there, which means the only option I have left is to kill you. And rest assured I will do that and take great pleasures in it."  
  
Heero blinked at him a few times before giving a low chuckle. "Talk is cheap." At that moment, they both noticed the continuing conversation below.  
  
"How dare you do this to me you ungrateful bastards!?" Taylor shouted indignantly. "My party has been supporting your organizing for decades!! If it hadn't been for our money you would have never been able to reach your current status!" The two noticed that he'd begun foaming at the mouth and gave a quick smirk at one another before they remembered their hostile situation. "In fact, with all the monetary backing we've given you in the past, this job should be done as a favor!!"  
  
"Arrogant, self-centered bastard, isn't he?" Marcus replied dryly turning his gaze once again to Heero. "Well, that's easy enough to fix." Lifting his gun with his eyes still on Heero he fired.  
  
"Ah-!"  
  
"Relena!!!!!"  
  
Heero's eyes widen in horror as he looked down to confirm his suspicions, and as he feared Relena was lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood. Red filled his vision and he turned to face Marcus with a look that teetered on the edges of sanity. Words failed him, his anger had his mouth clamped tightly shut.  
  
"Oops. Looks like I missed," Marcus' feigned innocence slowly gave way to a sadistic, satisfied grin.  
  


*****

  
Duo had been the first to react, the others still frozen by the unexpectedness of what had taken place. Putting pressure on the wound, he snapped the others out of their shock. "Trowa-!" he shouted but noticed that the other had already left, giving chase to Taylor who had used the brief distraction to attempt an escape. Turning to Chris and Karen he pleaded for assistance, "You two come here and help me!" There was much panic in his voice and they saw the urgency in his eyes so they wasted no time.  
  
"Did the bullet go all the way through?"  
  
"No. It's still lodged in her chest and it's too deep for us to get it out."  
  
"We need to stop the bleeding. Give me something to cover up the wound."  
  
"Karen, how about your blouse?"  
  
"Liebe!"  
  
"Just kidding; I'll volunteer my shirt." He hastily took off his jacket and shirt, minding his own wound, and handed the former to Duo.  
  
"Thanks." He placed the cloth over her wounded chest and applied the right amount of pressure to it. The blood immediately seeped through a good portion of the shirt and the panic flared in Duo's mind. "Check her pulse!"  
  
Leaning down, Karen placed two fingers on the side of Relena's neck; to her relief she felt a faint pulse. "It's weak but it's there. Although, if she keeps bleeding like this who knows what will happen."  
  
*BANG* *BANG*  
  
Hearing the gunshots, they turned to the source and saw Marcus and Heero battling it out on the metal ramps. Duo's gaze narrowed and a fire ignited within him. "You two look after Relena!" he ordered as made a grab for Karen's gun to add to his own.  
  
"You're not seriously thinking of getting between those two, are you?!" Chris yelled.  
  
Duo looked back briefly before turning around again, shouting. "Some things are too unforgivable to be ignored and a man has to take action against it!" Looking up he hastened his pace.  
  
Meanwhile, on the ramp Marcus was getting a taste of Heero's unbridled fury. In all his time around the quiet youth, he'd never seen the limits of his anger tested. As soon as the shot had been fired Marcus found himself in over his head with the former Gundam pilot. But inside he had his own rage fueling him on; he was not going to let Heero best him yet again. Finding an opening he charged at Heero, guns drawn he shot at his nemesis.  
  
It wasn't without great effort that Heero managed to dodge the bullets aimed at him and with one quick roll he found himself inches away from Marcus. He struck with his gun arm and the cold steel cut through the flesh of Marcus' cheek. The older man toppled to the floor and shot back in retaliation, the bullet lightly grazing Heero's temple. Getting back up he gave a sharp head butt to the underside of the youth's chin. Startled by the unexpectedness of the attack the former pilot could not anticipate the swift kick to his abdomen. There was a metallic taste in his mouth and he spat out a good amount of blood. It angered the Japanese youth to know that the other man had gotten in so many hits when he was clearly the superior of the two.   
  
With all his strength, he tackled the older man to the ramp's floor. The two grappled, trying desperately to gain the upper hand, and after what seemed like hours, though minutes they were, Heero had his opponent pinned down. Both their guns had been lost during the previous struggle so shooting Marcus was no longer an option. But that was alright, Heero had killed grown men with his bare hands on several occasions. Besides, he thought a second later, it'd be more satisfying to feel the skin turn cold underneath his hands as Marcus' life drained from his body. And with those thoughts he unleashed a flurry of blows upon the man, reveling in the blood that spilled. _//More! More blood! I'll bleed you dry!!// _Red. At this point, all he could see was red and it stripped him of his senses save the urge to kill. But before his rampage could reach its crescendo an image of a saddened Relena flashed in his mind and he froze. _//What is it?// _It was as if she had willed him to stop in his beating and he realized bitterly that he'd been close to breaking his promise.   
  
But the momentary pause proved to be his downfall for in that brief hesitation Marcus lashed out. Unbalanced, Heero stumbled backwards and received a kick to his stomach. The force of the blow knocked him through one of the wide gaps of the handrail and he dangled dangerously off the side, gripping tightly to the railing bar with one hand. Looking up he saw Marcus leering gleefully at him, it was obvious to anyone what the German had in mind. "How sad to see the fearless leader go out like this. Once praised and ranked amongst the best of us yet to die in a most pathetic way. I've waited long for this." Yet as luck would have it, Shinigami came to rescue him from the clutches of death. With both guns at the ready, he rained down bullets upon the assassin unconcerned with his own safety, for just like Heero he only saw red.  
  
Marcus was already scrambling away to whatever little safety the walkway provided. A glint caught his eyes and he lunged for the discarded gun, returning fire when the cold metal met his hands. And in the recesses of his mind he knew that there was no way out unless he killed these two. _//It's my life or theirs and I have no intentions of retiring yet.//_ But the fight was not in his favor, the injuries Heero had graciously adorned him with had sapped him of his strength. Seeing the murder in Duo's eyes was confirmation enough that he would not be the victor, other tactics had to be implemented if survival was the goal.  
  
Grabbing a knife hidden within his sleeves, he turned quickly and threw it at Duo, but the other dodged in time and the knife merely nicked his neck. Duo graciously returned the favor by firing several shots at him. Failing to dodge the bullets, he took several in his legs and arms. _//This can't be the end of it//_ No longer able to support himself he fell hard onto the metal walkway; looking up he saw the cold eyes of death staring into his soul. *click* Death positioned the gun at his head; he'd never been so close to it. His breathing was shallow and his mouth was parched. His eyes wandered, even knowing that it was pointless to look for a means of escape, and his eyes fell upon Heero still struggling to pull himself up. It was more of an instinct than a conscious decision as he fired at the helpless youth.  
  
"!"  
  
"Heero!!!" The bullet had torn through Heero's right arm. Duo had to go to him but there was hesitation in his eyes and Marcus was already fleeing the scene. Looking back at the other youth, he saw Heero losing his grip and in an instant, he was helping him up. "For God's sake, Heero, can't you ever stay out of trouble?!"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"You know, you could show a little more gratitude to the person who just saved your life."  
  
"He's getting away"  
  
"Yeah, I saw."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And what? I can't possibly catch up to him now when I've already decided to save your ungrateful hide."  
  
"Your braid."  
  
"What about my braid?"  
  
"It's gone."  
  
"What do you mean it's gone?"  
  
"I mean that it's not there anymore."  
  
Horror fell upon Duo as he reached back to feel the familiar rope of hair, but to his dismay he only grabbed air. He gulped and looked about the platform and caught sight of what was once a symbol of his pride lying a few feet away from the knife that Marcus had thrown. "T-The bastard! I'm gonna kill him!!"  
  
*BANG*  
  
In an instant, their eyes looked to the end of the walkway at Marcus; both were stunned into silence as they watched him fall from the walkway and hit the concrete floor with a sickening thud. Their eyes frantically scanned the area before resting upon Chris who had a smoking gun in hand.  
  
"Why did he do th-?"  
  
"Because he and Karen cannot trust Marcus to keep secret their helping the enemy; most likely he would have them killed so as to get rid of any remaining obstacles that would prevent him from being Teufel's leader. Marcus is not the type to consider friendship where his career is concerned."  
  
"And it seems the other two are the same way."  
  
"Chris' actions were not for his own benefit, but Karen's. Whatever is within his means to do in order to protect her he will do them."  
  
Silence descended upon them, everything was finally over and that realization had yet to sink in.  
  


*****

  
Back at Preventer Headquarters, a disgruntled Wufei was hardly two feet inside the special operatives' floor before being assaulted with sympathetic and pitying glances._ //I guess they know I'm the next lamb being sent to the slaughter. Geez, the least they could do is sugarcoat the situation for me. Wait. What the hell am I saying? Of course I don't want it sugarcoated; I'm no coward. All the same, I wish they wouldn't look at me like I was a dead man walking. For goodness sakes just stop staring at me!!// _With a glare he marched briskly to the room's end where his office lay. "Of all the nerve!" he huffed indignantly before realizing the severity of the mission that had befallen him. Oddly enough, it wasn't any different from the ones he'd been through as a teen._ //Actually there is a difference; I don't have Nataku!!//_  
  
*knock* *knock*  
  
"Come in Sally."  
  
Taking a cautious peek into the room, as if Wufei would snap her head off, the tall, slender woman walked in and focused her attention on him. Gathering her composure when she deemed everything normal, she straightened up, clasping both hands and a manila folder behind her back. "So how are you feeling today?"  
  
"Take a guess, onna," came Wufei's curt reply as he continued to gather and put away items from and into random drawers. "When is the plane scheduled to leave?"  
  
"Tomorrow morning. You'll be landing in Zurich where you'll then proceed to rendezvous with our contact in the lobby of the Narzisse hotel. He'll know who you are, just go the front desk and say that your name is Grant Lee. Got all that?" He nodded his affirmative and she saw his forehead crease with doubt or worry. "We also got word from Heero an hour ago and Taylor's been arrested."  
  
"What about Darlian?"  
  
Hesitation; the silence stretched and under the questioning gaze from the man Sally gave in. "She's being hospitalized right now. She was shot in the chest by one of the assassins - but she's holding on and her condition was stabilized."  
  
As the weight of her words settled upon him he went and sat in the nearest chair, it had been too much for him. "I can't believe they came so close to killing her. It's never been like this before Dammit, these people were more troublesome than I thought if Yuy couldn't even stop them" He sighed quietly and turned once again to his partner. "How's Barton, Maxwell, and Yuy?"  
  


*****

  
How long had it been since they entered the hospital bringing with them the limp and bloodied form of the Vice Foreign Minister? 2 hours? 3? The doctors were able to successfully remove the bullet imbedded in her, but still she remained unconscious. Somber and unmoving they waited and waited, hoping everything they'd fought for had not been in vain. The immediate threat had been dealt with, but the price they had paid was far graver than ever imagined. Trowa had taken to securing a place in one of the room's corner, opposite of where Heero was standing, staring out the window through a sliver in the curtains. As for Duo, he was rooted in the chair beside Relena's bed, her hand in his, stroking ever so gently and looking forlornly at the serenely sleeping form. Seconds ticked by giving way to minutes and soon another half hour had passed with little development.  
  
"You don't suppose they're going to try anything soon, do you?" Duo's voice shattered the heavy silence.  
  
Heero shifted and turned his attention to Relena's prone, sleeping form, his brows crinkled with thought. "It's highly unlikely. Marcus is dead and I trust Chris and Karen to keep their word. But that depends on whether or not Todesengel gets any more contracts concerning Relena."  
  
"And it will be awhile before her... adversaries discover of this failed attempt on her life and try to arrange another one," Trowa added in. "By the way, how are you doing, Duo? Still mourning the loss of your braid?"  
  
The American gave him a bitter smiled and shrugged. "Meh. I'll live. How are your wounds, Heero?"  
  
"Nothing I haven't gotten before." Silence descended upon them once again, it was obvious that much contemplation was taking place. "Duo, from this point on you are Relena's personal bodyguard." Heero stated unexpectedly. He eyed the other seriously, cutting off the mechanic before he could protest, "There's no way around it. We need someone to constantly monitor her and you know what hired protection is like." He saw Duo about to rise from his chair, but in three short strides, Heero was in front of him pushing him back down. The look in his eyes took the words out of Duo's mouth and he burned with the intensity of it. "Look," he whispered harshly, "I care about her and you do as well. But around me she'll just meet her end quicker, especially when the rest of Todesengel come to take vengeance against me." His eyes became wild, holding a kind of desperation Duo had not seen before. "Please There's no one I trust more with her life than you, Duo."  
  
The other was taken aback; it was the most sincere confession Duo had ever received from the Japanese. "Heero, man, I don't know what to say" He gazed to the floor hoping to find some encouragements. Upon hearing the sound of footsteps, he looked up to see Heero heading towards the door. "Hey, where are you going? Aren't you going to stay in case she wakes up?"  
  
"I know she'll be ok, I have faith in her," the other replied. "She's stronger than what people give her credit for I should know."  
  
"You still haven't told me where you're going off to," Duo retorted sternly.  
  
The Japanese smiled grimly at him. "No, I didn't, did I?" He would have left without answering further but seeing the other youth rise he answered, "No, Duo, you need to stay here for when she wakes up again. She'll need your comfort and reassurance after going through this whole ordeal and sadly that's not something I can do for her," Heero admitted dejectedly and then, he was out the door.  
  


*****

  
"Wait!" Trowa shouted urgently as he caught up with the young man, grabbing his shoulder and turning him around, "Where are you going?" He eyed Heero suspiciously, not letting go in the slightest for fear that the youth would disappear in a puff of smoke.  
  
Heero regarded him coldly for a few seconds, refusing to divulge any information to his friend and former comrade in battle. However, he found that sadly he couldn't maintain such an indifferent front for long and let out a deep sigh. It was just too hard, too much work. Though not the first time, Trowa saw just how exhausted and spent the shorter man was. The calm and controlled façade slipped off just as easily as they were put on and it pained him to see Heero in this state. He remembered all the plans and schemes they had to work out with calculatingly, deadly precision, losing in the process sleep, health, and sanity. Fatal consequences resulted from poorly laid out plans and such mishaps had been present in the past. But for Trowa it had all ended years ago, yet for Heero, the eternal soldier, it seemed tied to his fate. He didn't doubt that Heero was once again planning something that would guarantee him many more sleepless nights, all for the sake of keeping those dear to him safe. It was this type of self-sacrifice that Trowa admired so much, but at the same time was scared of. _//It's going to be the death of him someday...//_  
  
Glancing at the pavement Heero finally conceded to the question. "I'm heading off to Germany... back to Todesengel." There was a brief pause and he moved his gaze to his hands, outstretched and flexing before him. "Taylor may not be a problem any longer, but that doesn't mean Relena's safety is assured. But even if I can't monitor the people who would want her killed, I can at least monitor some of the assassins that would be hired to do the job."  
  
"You're going to try and strike a deal with them, aren't you?" Trowa stated more than asked. "Just how are you going to manage to pull something like that off?" His tone was both curious and chastising. "They're an elite organization of assassins; they wouldn't hesitate to kill you the instant they discovered your true intentions, of which I'm sure they've already gotten wind of. I doubt that Karen and Chris would be willing to jeopardize their positions just for your sake. They may be more tolerable and humane than Marcus but they are still loyal members of Todesengel and they're not going to let you undermine it anymore than you already have."  
  
Prussian blue looked upwards towards the artificial sky with a rare, melancholic expression. "If there were any other way I wouldn't even bother thinking twice about abandoning this idea. But the truth of the matter is, I won't always be there to protect her... She may have Duo now, but he won't stand a chance if Todesengel decides to send out another team after Relena. Especially if I'm not there to sabotage their efforts... And Relena wouldn't tolerate being put on extra security alert; she doesn't have much freedom outside her house as it is." He finally turned towards forest green eyes, "This is the only thing I can do for her."  
  


*****

  
"All set, Wufei?"  
  
Sighing somewhat dejectedly, he faced his partner. "There's not much else I can do to prepare, is there? This is as ready as I'll ever be." He slung the knapsack over his right shoulder and followed Sally to the car awaiting them outside the building. He would be transported to the airport from there and then continue onwards to Germany and possibly his own end. His night had been a sleepless one, with those thoughts occupying his mind._ //It's not so bad I guess. I've led a very productive life up to this point. I've helped end a war, brought peace to the colonies, and protected the rest of humanity from dangerous people, and I'm barely twenty-one. So I guess I can die happi- What the hell am I saying?! Who can be happy about an early death? This is crazy, the more I think about it the more hysterical I get. Kisama. Stop it already!// _  
  
"What's wrong, Wufei? You look conflicted, either that or you're constipated," Sally commented.  
  
"Not constipated, onna, apprehensive. I don't like the situation I'm heading into; all the odds are against me and my chances of my coming back alive are nonexistent. I'm not as reckless as I used to be you know."  
  
Sally smiled sympathetically, she understood the troubles plaguing him but there wasn't much she could do to ease them. "I'm sorry that we couldn't get anyone else. It was the fact that you were once a Gundam pilot that made you the most likely candidate for the mission. There aren't too many agents here who've had the kind of experience you did. But that's not justification enough, we shouldn't even be doing this mission. It's beyond what the Preventers are capable of -"  
  
Wufei held up a hand to stop her. "No. Whether or not we are capable is irrelevant. I should just stop complaining and make the most of the situation since I did volunteer to join the Preventers and continue this line of work. Besides, without us, who would the people have looking out for them?"  
  
She smiled. "I've never seen you tackle something so maturely. I have to say it's quite refreshing."  
  
"I'm not sure what you're trying to imply, but I've always been mature. Now, if there's anyone here who's -" but the ringing of his cell phone diverted his attention elsewhere. "Hello? Heero? Where the hell are you? Did anything else happen? We asked Maxwell about it but he said he hadn't heard from you since you left him with Darlian yesterday. Huh? What? What do you mean there's no need for me to go to Germany? You're taking care of it? How? Wait. Is Barton with you? Hello? Hello? Kuso. He hung up on me."  
  
Sally looked at him inquiringly. "What was that all about? I gather it was from Heero and it didn't make you happy. So what did he have to say?"  
  
Still recovering from the strangeness of his conversation with the Japanese, he turned and addressed her questions with as much sense as he could make of it. "It appears that Heero is handling the situation, possibly with the aid of Barton, and he doesn't want Preventer interference."  
  
"Nothing more than that?" And Wufei shook his head in response.  
  


*****

  
It was already the morning after and still Relena refused to wake. He hadn't heard from Heero or Trowa either, but judging by how abruptly the former WingZero pilot left the other day, he wasn't sure if he'd ever hear from him again. _//It was as if he was going off to die or something Knowing Heero, that's probably not far from the truth. I hope he knows what's he's doing he usually does, but then again it's always reckless and he'll more than likely end up half dead So why didn't I stop him then?//_ Looking at Relena he knew. _//Heero trusts me to protect her in his place. Of all peoples, he trusts me So I can't let him down I can't let her down either//_ Unexpectedly, he rose from his seat and climbed onto the bed with Relena. Taking her hand in his he said a quiet prayer. "Dear God, please protect the ones I love, help guide them back to me." And he fell asleep listening to the rhythmic beats of her heart.  
  


*****

  
"You didn't have to come, Trowa," Heero said gruffly as they made their way through the dense forest. He looked over his shoulder and saw his comrade smiling with some unknown delight. "Hn. Just don't hold me accountable if you happen to get killed."  
  
The taller youth let out a hearty laugh. "This coming from someone who took on the responsibility of saving the whole of humanity onto his shoulders; quite funny if you think about it. But don't worry yourself over me; I'm perfectly capable of handling any situation the opposition decides to throw our way." He heard a twig snapping in the distance and reached out for Heero's arm to stop him, signaling that someone or something was nearby. They became as still as stones, and silently scanned the surrounding trees and shrubbery, their hands slowly inching towards their guns.  
  
"There's no need for that gentlemen, I come unarmed," came the low, almost paternalistic voice. The shrubbery to their right began to rustle and out stepped a man finely dressed in a dark grey suit. He looked to be in his early forties but the glimmer in his eyes and the smile on his face made his look much younger. He first eyed Heero, then Trowa, then Heero again. "Ah, there you are, lad, it's been awhile since I last saw you. How are you faring?"  
  
He was about to answer, but something caught his throat and he suddenly felt something akin to shame. He couldn't bear to look at this man who had been so much like a father to him as Odin Lowe was. He had taken a special hand in Heero's training at Todesengel, overseeing his daily activities. But more than that, he was there to advise him on the best ways to approach certain situations or just to listen whenever Heero seemed troubled. He hadn't minded betraying Todesengel as a whole, but betraying the old man was different.  
  
The older man smiled and turned to look at Trowa, "You must be the Gundam pilot, Trowa Barton."  
  
"Former Gundam pilot," Trowa corrected.  
  
"Ah, yes, those things were destroyed a few years ago." Looking at the ground, he found a patch of soft grass and moved to sit on it. "The reports Chris and Karen submitted state that you were very formidable. I guess it's not a surprise considering your role in the Eve Wars, but that's old news. What I'm really interested in right now, is the matter of why you're here. I have a very good guess as to his reasons, but not yours."  
  
"Just looking out after a friend," Trowa stated calmly.  
  
The man smiled and turned to Heero again. "You seem to have made quite a number of loyal friends during your lifetime, Heero. I expected as much from someone with such remarkable talents. I knew there was something about you that caught my eye, but I never would have guessed that you were the infamous Heero Yuy. You're quite good at covering up your identity, but that's not what you're here to talk to me about, correct?"  
  
His eyes steeled and the guilt left his mind. "I want to you stay away from Relena Darlian. I don't care if you get anymore contracts on her life, just don't go near her again."  
  
"I'm afraid we can't, Heero. It's not ideal for us to turn down jobs, we have to make a living somehow," the man replied kindly, but seeing Heero's disappointment he continued on, "but I am willing to make an arrangement with you over her life."br>   
Somewhat suspicious he hesitated, "What kind of arrangement would that be exactly?"  
  
The man's golden brown eyes twinkled with delight. "Oh, it's quite simple really, whenever we get jobs concerning Miss Darlian, we will go to you first. If you succeed in defeating whichever unit we send against you then we will declare the mission a failure and give up until the next contract. But should we happen to kill you then there will be nothing stopping us from proceeding with Miss Darlian's assassination. Does this sound suitable to you?"  
  
Before Heero had the chance to speak Trowa gripped his arm and pulled him to his side. "I'm not sure I like this. Your life will be constantly sought after if you agree to this - you'll never see the end of it." But there was a strange look in Heero's eyes and youth knew what was in the other's mind. "You can't be serious" Trowa's expression became grim and he looked to the seated man. "Why propose such a thing?"  
  
"Because I want to test how far his skills can go I've never seen someone with so much potential. It's almost frightening to know that there exists someone with almost no limits to his abilities," he answered with a hint of admiration. "If he continues to survive in light of this then I will know of whom I want as my successor and at that point, Heero, you can make whatever policies you desire as the head of Todesengel."  
  
Surprise did not escape the two young men and Trowa could tell the statement had sealed Heero's decision to accept the arrangements presented to him. It would mean that Relena would not only be safe from them, but with such power over Todesengel he could utilize them as her new hidden protectors. Still in a daze, he distantly heard Heero's infamous "Ryoukai" and he wept internally at the fate the other had chosen. _//You will never be at peace, Heero for all the good you seek to do you condemn yourself a thousand times over to hell on Earth and I can't let you do that alone Don't worry, Heero, I'll be there to back you up when it gets too much for you to handle.//_  
  


*****

  
She woke with a startle and a pain in her chest (from the gunshot wound she realized somewhere in the back of her mind) as if escaping from a nightmare, yet it was something more disturbing than what nightmares could induce. It was like being plunged into a whirlpool of sadness and images of Heero swept through her mind. She knew instantly that something that happened to him. It was their shared bond, which told her so, and although their relationship may have changed, it did nothing to sever that connection. Deeply she wished him to come out of it unscathed but knew such a thing was impossible with Heero. The pain in her chest began to dull as her thoughts drifted further into somberness until a stir at her side alerted her to Duo's presence.  
  
She smiled at his peaceful expression and stroked his cheek, eliciting a pleased sigh from him. Being so close to him brought about thoughts and feelings she had been trying to repress for the last couple of days. But as his presence began to calm and soothe her nerves, she came to a decision regarding their currently ambiguous relationship. She couldn't very well figure out how intense her feelings for Duo were without giving their relationship a chance. Already she knew that her feelings for him were strong, stronger than she would have thought possible. It was her feelings for Heero that hindered anything from developing further, but even he had wanted her to take this chance. He wanted her to be happy and she had to admit that the days spent with Duo had been some of her most enjoyable ever. _//Heero and I will always have something special between us but it's about time I let someone else into my heart and Duo seems to be the right one// _She placed a soft, innocent kiss to his forehead, but the touch was enough to waken him from slumber. He grabbed hold of arm, it was an action borne of instincts and natural reflexes, but after realizing where he was, and whom he was with, he relaxed his grip and smiled sheepishly at her. That was when she noticed that his trademark braid was missing. "Duo - your hair?"  
  
He touched the short ponytail that was the remainder of his braid and shrugged his shoulders. "It's not big deal; I'd rather lose the braid than lose you, Relena." And in his eyes she saw sincerity and deep affection and she reached out and pulled him into a kiss whispering, "But I won't be able to play with it anymore."  
  
He laughed heartily, "That's the one good thing that came from losing it," and returned the kiss with much fervor. Duo couldn't remember a time in which he'd been happier than he was at this moment. His heart fluttered as he continued to shower Relena's soft features with light, gentle kisses. He sighed as he stole a kiss from her lips and delighted in the giggles she gave at his earnestness. He cupped her face and became self-conscious of his calloused hand compared to the softness of her skin. But the joy in her eyes told him that she either hadn't noticed them or didn't care and he kissed her again. The only thing that prevented him from losing himself in the moment was a small inkling in the back of his mind.  
  
"Hmm. You know, Relena, I can't help but think that there's something I'm forgetting about..."  
  


*****

  
A car pulled up into the driveway of an oddly familiar house nestled away within the fairly comfortable and quiet neighborhood. The smiling duo that emerged from the automobile was all smiles and giggles, memories of a pleasurable week still on the forefront of their minds. Meeting for an embrace at the entrance, they settled into a long, loving kiss, whispering endearments to one another. The young woman giggled again and turned around, fishing in her coat for keys.  
  
"C'mon honey, as much as I'd like to lounge on the front porch, I'd really like to get settled back in," the tall man piped up, laying his hands on her shoulder and massaging gently.  
  
She looked up over her shoulder and quirked an eyebrow, "My, aren't we impatient, Anthony." She stuck out her tongue as she slipped her newly found key into the slot. Surprise overtook her when the door opened without any resistance. _//Odd... Maybe he's inside somewhere....//_ No amount of words could describe the emotions running through her the instant the room came into full view. The corners of her eyes twitched involuntarily, her body refusing to budge, afraid that this wasn't just some horrible nightmare. Bright blue eyes darted back and forth, nervousness and anger coursing through her veins.  
  
"Hilde what's wrong? Why aren't you going... in..." he implored but finally saw what had his wife frozen in place. " Honey?"  
  
"I'M GOING TO KILL THAT BRAIDED IDIOT!!!!!!!!!! DUO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  


-owari-  
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Well it's finally finished and I know a lot of you have been waiting for this story to end. Just know that I'm really sorry for having to make many of you wait, some for over 2 years. I can't say that I've been the most responsible when it came to wrapping this up and hopefully this doesn't happen with any of my other fics. As for the endings, I know Heero's was somewhat sad, but honestly, there was no way to make it happy. But Duo's and Relena's was suitable, I can imagine them being that way towards each other. As for Trowa, I believe he would make such a sacrifice, especially if it's to help someone whom he admires as much as Heero. Anyways, I don't plan on writing a sequel to this; I hope that doesn't disappoint any of you. For now I have too much on my hands and I still have to finish up Trapped Soul and get a sequel to Zero Soul started (too many people have been requesting it and it does seem to need a bit of closure). So before I go I'd like to thank all of you who stuck with me and never forgot that this fic still existed.   



End file.
